Including Culture in Nursing Providing nursing care that is not only safe, but culturally appropriate to individual patients is perhaps the most important job of a nurse. As British Columbia’s demographic continues to change multiculturally, it makes sense that treatment of patients must also change, especially in nursing. LPN’s nursing practice should be based on providing care that is culturally appropriate on an individual patient basis.
How CLPNBC Professional Standards Relate to Providing Culturally Safe Nursing Care
CLPNBC’s Professional Standards specifically address how the scope of nurses is constantly being broadened to help with the changing needs of patients and how to perform culturally appropriate care. The importance of including
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Because LPN’s are in constant daily contact with patients it is paramount that they recognize the cultural needs of their patients. It is particularly important to note that nurses should not let their own cultural beliefs influence how they treat or respond to patients. In the article “Transcultural Nursing: Importance in Nursing Practice,” it stresses this point by saying, “nurses are required to recognize and appreciate cultural differences in health care values, beliefs, and customs” (Kanchana & Sangamesh, 2016, p. 1). By not letting individual beliefs influence their decision-making, nurses are able to provide culturally competent care, while still maintaining that patient/nurse relationship. Another way in which nurses can provide culturally competent care is by constantly studying and learning about other cultures. For example, understanding why a patient might be refusing a blood transfusion, perhaps for religious reasons. The patient may be a Jehovah Witness and as part of their beliefs they cannot accept blood from outside sources. Just being aware of why a patient is behaving a certain way, or refusing treatment helps the nurse evaluate what next course of action should be taken. It also may relieve the patient to know the nurse understands why they reacted as they