My ACE Experience

Improved Essays
Identify how this ACE experience helped you integrate and learn course concepts?

I believe that being aware of the numerous cultural diversities in the United States; will make me a better nurse. I believe that this experience has taught me to become more aware of the difficulties health care professionals have to overcome when a patient is from a different culture. The barriers that can arise in a simple task that a nurse needs to perform on patient who has a different view or religious belief, can be complicated. Some of the facts that I did not know about the Alabama Coushatta Indian tribe, were they are originally two different tribes, as well as the diversity with in the area they live in. I believe this ACE experience has given me the tools to be more open minded about wanting to learn different aspects of the many cultures we as nurses come into contact with just on a daily basis. I am more aware of just how a cultural assessment can make a difference when treating, diagnosing and medicating a patient. This experience has also given me more insight to the diversity within a specific Indian tribe, like the different attire each tribe members wore that according to their geographical areas and the fact that each dance had a different meaning. The costumes intricate detail and the meaning behind the eagle feather and how sacred they were to the tribal members. This experience has definitely prepared me to be more aware of my body language. I feel I gained the knowledge that some cultures view different actions such as looking directly into and individual’s eyes for an extended amount of time can be perceived as disrespectful, aggressive or even cause distress on a patient. Furthermore, knowing just a small characteristic of an individual’s culture can make them feel more comfortable with you as a nurse. The most important fact is that ultimately we as nurses are here to insure patient safety and while some cultures may have certain customs and practices; their wellbeing and safety come first. Did the ACE experience affect your attitude toward being involved in your community in the future? Yes, this experience did affect my attitude, while I have volunteered for many community activities throughout my life; I never stopped to think that volunteering in a culturally themed event could give me
…show more content…
This can give you a variety of aspects to observe and engage in while being of service to a specific cause. Many people that volunteer are part of the diverse culture you may be interested in and are willing to explain and give you more insight to cultural issues they are facing. Volunteering can also open doors to a culture that may be more discrete about their practices. This event has also made me very aware that just because a culture looks similar, have similar customs and geographical location; that they have the same beliefs. Moreover, this experience has taught me to not assume or make assumptions about someone’s beliefs, religion, customs, appearance or health care choices. Understanding that cultural diversities need to be part of a patient’s plan care and can affect the outcome of a patients health is a key point to understand. Many of these community events that are culturally themed may be the only time an outsider gets to see a certain custom a culture may

Related Documents

  • Superior Essays

    Cultural Awareness

    • 1333 Words
    • 6 Pages

    This essay will bring an understanding of the need for cultural awareness and competency in nursing practice in relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait people, known as Indigenous people of Australia. Different factors responsible for chronic illnesses in Indigenous population will be explained and how nurses can help in conquering the gap between Indigenous and non Indigenous population in relation to health. Emphasis will be on how ethnocentric human nature can affect health adversely. It will also discuss how sexual health is neglected in Indigenous population and how by good communication skills nurses can make Indigenous patients talk about health issues. In the end issues related to cultural competency will be discussed and how critical…

    • 1333 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In society today, it is crucial for an individual, in the healthcare field, to be aware of other cultures and religions. With this said, it is important to practice cultural awareness and to practice a professional culture understanding. As future nurses, a key component of nursing education is to seek more knowledge about the patient’s culture to better help in caring for our patients. Anne Fadiman’s book, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, allows the audience to relive the Lee’s story. They were a Hmong refugee family that sought treatment from the health care system in Merced, California.…

    • 1023 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Cultural Safety

    • 1100 Words
    • 5 Pages

    This essay will discuss culture safety of the following articles “Cultural safety in nursing education and practice in Aotearoa New Zealand”, “Cultural immersion enhancing nursing skills”, “Perception of cultural safety and attitudes a nursing students reflection and artwork”. These articles outline cultural safety from three individuals’ point of view. The articles by Bryson and Newson will then be compared and discussed. Richardson (2011) stated that since 1990 when New Zealand introduced cultural safety into the nursing education curriculum it has had profound impact on nursing education and the delivery of nursing and healthcare.…

    • 1100 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Alvord’s methods for demonstrating cultural competence are powerful and effective. They aim to treat patients to lead a balanced life, as respect for cultural differences aids in preventing an imbalance among the mind, body, and soul (Alvord & Van Pelt, 2000). In our progressively diverse society, reduction of ethnocentric thinking could vastly improve public health, as patients would be treated as the unique individuals they are. In implementing effective communication, providers can utilize active listening to learn more about the cultural desires and boundaries of the patient. Providers can subsequently show respect for the culture and build the trust of the patient.…

    • 1956 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    Healing Histories Summary

    • 2049 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Throughout Canadian history, there always seems to have been a rough patch and mistreatment when it comes to the Aboriginal people. One specific example would be the implementation and operation of Indian Hospitals, a part of Canadian Health Care history some would rather forget and one that many still feel the pain of. In her novel Healing Histories: Stories from Canada's Indian Hospitals, Laurie Meijer Drees collects and documents multiple experiences from within these hospitals. By studying and comparing Marjorie Warke’s story to Marie Dick’s, I will evaluate the similarities and differences, as well as discuss how I can use this information and understanding in the future.…

    • 2049 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    So, arisen was another dilemma of changing the minds of healthcare providers to change their thinking to accommodate the multitude of cultures that now resides in every corner of this world. The importance of cultural competence perked the interest of insurance providers. The realization that delivering patient centered care with the emphasis on cultural competence would prevent continued visits to the hospital sounded like a dream come true. The authors write in their article ….the New York State Department of Health...…

    • 1413 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Cultural Competency Paper

    • 2031 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Cultural Competency The health care system may be unique in being a true melting pot of cultures, ethnicities and races. No matter ones background, health care and maintenance is a necessity of life. The cultural landscape of America is a constantly changing one. It is project that by the year 2045 that non-Hispanic Caucasians will represent less than 50% of the U.S. population for the first time (Alba, 2015).…

    • 2031 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Cultural competency is vital to the role of nurses within the United States due to the fact that there are so many cultures and populations represented within our country. This is a wonderful thing, but having so many different people in one place can cause problems. Cultures differ greatly from one another in many different ways, including the way that healthcare is approached. In order to provide transcultural nursing care, there are three modes of decisions and actions that can guide each encounter to promote health. These methods include cultural care preservation or maintenance, accommodation or negotiation, and repatterning or restructuring.…

    • 374 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Cultural Competency

    • 160 Words
    • 1 Pages

    As a person who grew up in Mexico, and moved to the United States 6 years ago, I believe my cultural competence has allowed me to develop personal characteristics that will enable me to understand patients from any culture. I appreciate and respect the multiple dimensions of diversity, recognize and embrace perspectives that are different that mine, and have learned to implement these in my daily life. My experience volunteering at a free clinic has allowed me to interact with patients from different underserved communities, but also with other volunteers and medical students from cultures different than mine. From this experience, I have been able to demonstrate I have the attributes to be part of a diverse group. I have developed competencies…

    • 160 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    • What is the difference between the terms cultural competence and cultural humility? There seems to be some differences between cultural competence and cultural humility. According to Purnell (2013), “cultural competence in health care is having the knowledge, abilities, and skills to deliver care that is congruent with patients cultural beliefs and practice” (p.7). In my opinion this means as a nurse you are willing to acknowledge each patients cultural differences and accommodate their care needs to the unique beliefs and practices.…

    • 1489 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    How did you relate to the readings, videos and forum discussions? I related to the readings about cultural and linguistic competence as a future health care provider. I saw how my knowledge of these topics could affect the care and well being of real people. One hypothetical that struck me was about a nurse practitioner choosing a cheaper and less effective medication for a black patient. The nurse had done this with the well-meaning intention of saving a poor person from the bills that come with a higher level of health care, not realizing that the patient was of a high socioeconomic status (Hall and Fields).…

    • 751 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Cultural Competence Healthcare is becoming diverse with the patient population from many different race, cultures and ethnicity. Nurses take care of patients from many different types of heritage and background, therefore we need to be culturally competent while providing care. By taking the Cultural Diversity Self-Assessment (IllinoisCTE, n.d.), I was able to determine my own beliefs toward different cultures. The assessment tool is comprised of a one to five rating scale in regards to how strongly I agree with a question.…

    • 931 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    I have taken several diversity trainings and workshops that are offered through my employer to gain more knowledge of awareness of the changes in the evidence-based care of my patients. I use the five-step method that incorporates the nursing method to understand my patient presences and set goal and objectives for their care. We see many different cultures in Labor and Delivery. May cultures have different preference for the birth of their child. I work with my patient and their family to make a plan of care that fits their needs while following hospital guidelines.…

    • 878 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Cultural assessments are important in identifying exclusive necessities a patient may present with. In this paper I 'm going to discuss the key components of conducting a comprehensive cultural assessment. I will then go on to choose two of these components and reflect on my culture and how it impacts my attitude towards those aspects of providing cultural diverse care. Finally, I will create two nursing diagnosis is that reflect cultural diversity. Key Components of a Comprehensive Cultural Assessment There are twelve key components of conducting a comprehensive cultural assessment which include biocultural variations and aspects of the incidence of disease, communication, cultural affiliation, cultural sanctions and restrictions, developmental considerations, economics, education background, health related beliefs, kinship and social networks, nutrition, religion and spirituality, and values orientation.…

    • 1265 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Culture “determines the lens through which all other aspects of life are viewed and experienced and includes an individual’s health beliefs and practices” (Black, 2017, p. 250). I need to be sensitive to the cultural differences of my fellow health care professionals. Culture is influenced by ones family, past experiences, and religious beliefs. We are all different, so I must remain open-minded and increase my knowledge base of other cultures around me. My fellow health care professionals and myself have a common goal, to improve patient outcomes and health.…

    • 1219 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Great Essays