Angelina Holland
Ocean County College
A Nurse’s Role in Providing Cultural and Spiritual Care to Patients
The United States is known as a melting pot. It has one of the most diverse populations in the world. From the very beginning of our country’s history, immigrants have stepped foot on our shores bringing with them their cultural and spiritual beliefs and traditions. In her article on Understanding American Culture, Millet (2013) states that immigrants came to America looking for religious freedom, new opportunities and a better life for their families. They were eager to assimilate into the American society. In present day, however, things are slightly different. While immigrants still come to the United States under the same premise, they are not as eager to assimilate or blend in. Today’s immigrants are holding onto their unique national characteristics and have transformed the United States into a multicultural society. Our multicultural society presents new challenges for nurses in caring for their patients. In order to provide optimum care for their patients, nurses need to understand their patient’s cultural and spiritual needs. This can …show more content…
(2012) it is stated that the National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission (NLNAC) and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) both agree that nursing schools must incorporate cultural and ethnic sensitivity into their curriculum to prepare future nurses. They should provide students with the skills and clinical experiences necessary to care for our diverse population. According to Esterby et al. (2012) the US Department of State and the US Census Bureau, 2007 estimate that by the year 2042, today’s cultural minorities will be the cultural majorities. However, the nursing population will remain primarily Caucasian in descent, as stated in the Sullivan Commission Report on