Cultural Awareness in Nursing Practice

Introduction In this move my aim is to describe and discuss my own Filipino heathenish emphasise and how it might influence my nursing practice. Culture is our way of living (Wepa, 2005). It is to a fault shaped by our values, beliefs, norms, and practices that ar shared by members of the same cultural group (Giger & Davidhizar, 1995).I go forth be discussing some of the values and traits that we Filipinos catch in common such as pagmamano and po at opo or gestures that show follow to our elders, kagandahang loob or shared humanity, (pakikipagkapwa-tao or regard for early(a)s, bayanihan or camaraderie or cooperation and lastly, tiwala sa Diyos or trust in God. I will also include some of our shared traditions and beliefs and try to link my cultural experiences to my nursing practice. Brief Background of the Philippines Philippine is located in sou-east Asia, with Manila as its capital city.Filipinos are basically of Malay ancestry, though proof of foreign influence erect be trailed in our culture. We are actually a blend of different cultures rolled into wholeness. For three centuries we were chthonic the Spanish colony, as a result, there is a significant totality of Spanish and Mexican influence in our customs and traditions. Then later, nether the American regime for four decades and their obvious contribution to us is the side of meat language. Other ethnic groups such as the Chinese and Japanese withstand also influenced our way of living.Pagmamano, po at opo or gestures that show heed to our elders Pagmamano and po at opo or gestures that show respect to elders go passel in hand. Pagmamano is holding an elders one hand and placing on your forehead and the phrases po at opo are used to show respect and courtesy when talking to someone in authority and elder. Filipinos are non used to calling people in authority by their offshoot names we say their designation first before their name, as we sum up calling them by their names as rude an d mal educada or uneducated. I wish to take this trait of showing respect to the lders and to everyone in my nursing practice by advocating and protecting the rights of the client in order to prohibit harm and recognizing their culture when it arrests to collecting and storing health information (NCNZ, 2005). I can also apply this trait in my interaction with my colleagues by valuing their individual(prenominal) culture and contribution to the team. Kagandahang loob or shared humanity and Bayanihan or comradeship Kagandahang loob or shared humanity refers to organism able to help others in time of needs. Related to this is the bayanihan or comradeship which Filipinos are celebrated for.We come in unity to help our family or the community in one spirit in attaining a common goal. Best example is in time of calamity we gather together and extend our helping custody to those who need them without expecting in return. It is an act of selflessness, willing to be of service for other s welfare. Showing hospitality to strangers is also an example of kagandahang loob that we are famous of, not that we are the only one that is hospitable. Even the humblest home on the road can be offered as a temporary tax shelter for a stranger who has lost his way.We consider it also impolite to not invite an unexpected visitor that arrived during mealtime, to sit grim and share what we live with on the table. In cases that the unexpected visitor needs to stay for the night, he or she will be offered the best room in the family to the extent of having the host to sleep in the sala or lounge. This trait I intend to instil in my nursing practice by being fair and truthful to my client and colleagues, by being competent in what I do thus preventing and ensuring that I am practising ethically. Shared traditions and beliefsWhen I was a s deliverr, my family had lived at our Lolas (grandmother) rural home. She was a tough lady, evermore want everything tidy and in place. One dinn er time, we were all school term and having our meal quietly, no one was allowed to speak as it was her sacred line up that it was rude to talk while eating she also had this habit of observing us, as if shes waiting for us to make mistakes. She noticed that I wasnt eating the head of the fish she then called my attention and told me that I should eat the head of the fish as well because it makes us brighter and smarter. thought of what she said, I innocently asked her how if the fish was dumb? . I got into trouble by asking that. I grew up pursuance traditions and believed many beliefs that fork out been passed down from many generations to the next. For instance, we have these beliefs in child rearing of causes of a childs disability have something to do with the mother not following her dietary practises during pregnancy. For example, eating crabs would cause an unborn baby to have clubbed fingers and toes, eating dark foods such as grapes, squids and chocolates would make t he baby to have dark skin.