Tenia Madison
Ohio University
Ethical dilemmas may arise when caring for diverse populations. Different cultures have their own beliefs and values that can influence health decisions and behaviors. The purpose of this paper is to examine an ethical dilemma that I have encountered during my practice. Then I will describe the perception of the dilemma by presenting both sides of the issue and any conflicting values and beliefs. Finally, I will define culturally congruent care.
Describe an Ethical Dilemma While practicing as a nurse, an ethical dilemma that I have encountered was when caring for a female patient was anemic. The patient had a low hemoglobin and was symptomatic, she had a low blood pressure and felt very weak. I advised the patient that because her blood counts were so low that she needed a blood transfusion. Due to her religious beliefs, the patient kept insisting that she could not receive …show more content…
Knowing how to care for diverse populations is imperative to providing quality care. Culturally congruent care is making decisions and providing care that meets an individual’s cultural beliefs and values to achieve optimal health outcomes (Andrews & Boyle, 2016). Understanding different cultures is necessary to decide what is best for the patient. Culturally congruent strategies that I would recommend is having cultural knowledge, awareness and skills. According to Campinha-Bacote (2011), cultural knowledge is being educated on cultural diverse populations. Cultural awareness is when you consider personal biases and stereotypes about different cultures (Campinha-Bacote, 2011). When you have cultural awareness and cultural knowledge you develop cultural skills to care for different cultures. By being aware of the Jehovah Witness belief system and being aware of my own personal beliefs will enable me to provide culturally congruent