Nursing Capstone Project

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My capstone project is about the need for nurses to learn about cultural diversity, cultural awareness and cultural sensitivity. This has been a fascinating project to explore and I am learning about so many cultural beliefs. When a patient's cultural practice is understood competent patient care is rendered and health care disparities are eliminated. For example, in some cultures many people believe that illness and evil can be prevented by following strict religious codes, morals and practices. It is their belief that if they become ill the punishment is their sickness for breaking the religious code. The capstone project has made me realize that a persons’ culture should not be judged and should not be dismissed and as healthcare …show more content…

My greatest fear is not being able to communicate this knowledge in a clear and logical order at my presentation time. I want this presentation to be fun, educational and that participates are able to acknowledge other cultures and not judge them. I want participates to be accepting and respectful of other cultures. There is so much to learn from this subject and it is a lifetime study. I have debated within myself about picking this subject, but I felt a need to make this my subject of interest. For example, a nurse once told me that they had never had any exposure to people that did not look like them, talk like them, or think like them. I was not judgmental, but I was amazed that this is possible at this day and time. I felt like this person was missing out on so many cultural differences. I want nurses to have cultural awareness and cultural sensitivity and to have some knowledge and understanding that there are many different cultures that their patients bring to the health environment. Culturally competent nursing care helps ensure patients’ satisfaction and positive patient outcomes. Studies show that nurses must be culturally competent in order to provide optimal care for their patients. For example, nurses who have knowledge about a patient’s religious culture may not be alarmed when they walk into