Eva Neufeld's Culture: A Case Study

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There are hundreds of cultures and lifestyles healthcare providers will encounter and provide care for throughout their careers. A culture is the way of life of a group of people who share a common behavior, habits, attitudes, and have similar moral and religious beliefs (Cambridge University Press, 2017). To gain in-sight over a specific culture, it is important to be respectful towards the person’s physical image, native language and beliefs. For this assignment, a Caucasian Mennonite named Eva Neufeld was interviewed in person. Mennonites are a Christian group who are neither Protestant nor Catholic, and are known as “Anabaptists,” meaning “rebaptizers” (Mennonite Church USA, 2014).
When asked how she wants to receive healthcare Neufeld …show more content…

Several Mennonites here in Seminole, Texas have emigrated to the United States from other communities located in Belize, Canada, and Mexico, but they use the German-language to speak with one another. Neufeld mentioned that English is not the first language for a large portion of the Mennonite community, so they often speak in broken English. Because of this, Neufeld stated it is common for them to not know the right words to use when explaining their health problems, and it is often disregarded or overlooked during their office visits (E. Neufeld, personal communication, July 20, 2017). According to Paul Schyve, health professionals who only understand English create a “a triple threat” for proper communication. The first threat being the language barrier itself, the second being the cultural difference, and lastly the low health literacy. These factors make up effective communication between patients and healthcare providers. As an increasingly multicultural society, it is highly important to overcome these barriers to provide safe and high-quality care for patients and their families (2014).
When asked how nurses can provide culturally appropriate care for her and people of the same culture, Neufeld states they do not require different or special care. She then stopped to reminisce about her beliefs and teachings saying, “the