The Latino/Hispanic population constitutes 17 percent of the national’s total population with more than 56 million Latinos living in the United States in 2015 (United States Census Bureau, 2015). Taking into consideration that Latinos are the largest ethnic/racial minority population in the United States, it is imperative that health care professionals be knowledgeable and capable of understanding Latino’s cultural belief and practices regarding health in order to provide optimal care. The incorporation of Latino cultural values and beliefs into the plan of care would positively influence patients’ outcomes and would enhance compliance with treatment in patients from this culture.
The Latino population in the United States is divided into …show more content…
They tend to give the information little by little. Furthermore, they fear possible discrimination, they are embarrassed to make a mistake, or do not want to provide the incorrect information due to the language barrier, resulting in a gap in the exchange of information during the assessment (Sobel & Sawin, 2016, p. 229). The use of Spanish interpreters while caring for a patient with language barriers is fundamental to provide the best possible patients care. It takes a considerable amount of time for a Latino patient to feel comfortable during health examinations. In many cases, they request a health care professional from the same sex to evaluate them as sexism is a characteristic that identify the Latino population, particularly in males due to the ideology of machismo. Many Latino males feel ashamed that a woman can be the person performing the physical assessment. Caring, asking questions, and communicating are key components that would assist nurses during patient care. Nurses should ask permission before touching a Latino patient during the physical assessment and explain the reason why they need to assess that part of their body. Gentle touch, positive attitude, and kindness would give a patient from the Latino culture the sense of attention and empower which would help to decrease the tension during physical assessment (Sobel & Sawin, 2016, p.
The Latino population in the United States is divided into …show more content…
They tend to give the information little by little. Furthermore, they fear possible discrimination, they are embarrassed to make a mistake, or do not want to provide the incorrect information due to the language barrier, resulting in a gap in the exchange of information during the assessment (Sobel & Sawin, 2016, p. 229). The use of Spanish interpreters while caring for a patient with language barriers is fundamental to provide the best possible patients care. It takes a considerable amount of time for a Latino patient to feel comfortable during health examinations. In many cases, they request a health care professional from the same sex to evaluate them as sexism is a characteristic that identify the Latino population, particularly in males due to the ideology of machismo. Many Latino males feel ashamed that a woman can be the person performing the physical assessment. Caring, asking questions, and communicating are key components that would assist nurses during patient care. Nurses should ask permission before touching a Latino patient during the physical assessment and explain the reason why they need to assess that part of their body. Gentle touch, positive attitude, and kindness would give a patient from the Latino culture the sense of attention and empower which would help to decrease the tension during physical assessment (Sobel & Sawin, 2016, p.