Providers are accountable to be culturally competent, empathetic and knowledgeable with treatment options for patients. The following paper addresses pharmacotherapeutics, client compliance and advanced nursing practice. Also highlighted will be resources available to clinicians and how to educate a client on the identification or prevention of potential pharmacodynamics or pharmokinetic problems.
Ethnic, Genetic and Cultural Considerations
More than 1000 medications have ingredients that may be prohibited in various religions and cultures (Hoesli & Smith, 2011). In addition to religious beliefs, other factors may play a part in medication use such as a vegetarian lifestyle …show more content…
In the field of pharmacotherapeutics cultural and ethnic data sources are valuable in determining the efficacy of medications. The International Journal of Hypertension (2012) has noted significant improvement of cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality among the Hispanic population by use of ARB’s and ACE inhibitors. As more studies and data become available the advocacy for prescribing these medications should increase and patient outcomes will be positively affected. Another contributing factor is patient compliance, it is understood that cultures who have migrated to the United States have had limited exposure and availability to medicine. By acknowledging this deficiency the practitioner has an opportunity to educate and provide preventative care measures for the patient. Clinical trials have shown that when exposed to medication regimens Hispanics had superior blood pressure control when compared to their counterparts (Patel, 2012). By exposing the patient to valuable information and resources the practitioner is equipping the patient with the tools to assist in managing care; when coupled with early and aggressive pharmaceutical treatment the long term outcomes are significantly improved. The impact of ethnic consideration on advance practice nursing is significant in …show more content…
One of those tools is the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP). The ISMP provides an array of information on prescribing medication, but it also gives information on cultural diversity and medication safety. It is not safe to assume every ethnicity believes and participates in its’ culture, however, it is wise to have a basic understanding of different cultures and how to approach them on different health care concerns or topics. For instance, some cultures believe in using natural remedies, herbs, and rituals to care for an ailment and then use Western Medicine as a last resort (ISMP, 2003). On the contrary, other cultures believe there should be a medication for every ailment (ISMP, 2003). A culturally competent nurse practitioner will be able to decipher and educate the patient on when and why they should use Western Medicine versus a different course of