Essay On Heritage Assessment Tool

It would be so easy to take care of individuals if everyone was alike. With the large array of people in this world and their differences makes it sometimes difficult to render that care if we don’t know about their culture, beliefs or their heritage. The heritage assessment tool is designed to help patients the opportunity to talk about their background and beliefs but it did not give an option of what is important, what they need, what they actually believe in and how they should be taken care of. This form is very vague and should be changed if the medical field really wants to understand other heritages. After asking the questions to three different families of all different heritages the questions on the assessment tool left a lot of doubt …show more content…
There is a wide range of diversity in this culture. It depends on if they were born in Mexico, how much education they have, what their social status is and how they were brought up with their beliefs. Although he was very proud of his family he was hesitant to divulge some beliefs that he had. He said his native language was English and did not eat ethnic foods although we shared many memories of birthday parties for his children with mostly ethnic food of his culture being served and his whole family speaking Spanish including himself. When sick he treats himself with over the counter medication even though he has good insurance from his place of employment until all has failed then he will seek medical attention. He does not hesitate to take his children to seek medical attention though if needed. Most sensitive issues, including health issues are kept within family but if seriously ill they refrain from allowing that family member to know. Mexicans prefer women caregivers or providers but usually starts off with their mothers or spouses. They believe in the four humors that need to be balanced for good health: blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile. Heat and cold is not like the Chinese with food temperature itself but with the disease. For an example if the disease is hot like fever then cold foods should be given as the same for cold diseases like an upper respiratory infections hot food should …show more content…
Open ended questions and listening was what had the people talking. Why do we need to know back ground of their grandparents or even their parents? The focus is the patient right in front of us. We should ask more in depth direct questions to guide them to give us important information that we as caregivers should or need to know how to treat. What was learned was just because someones heritage is a certain type does not mean they always follow their practices and should always be asked before assumed how to be taken care