Cultural Awareness Assessment

Julian Savulescu and Richard W. Momeyer, wrote an article expressing their theories on informed consent being based on rational beliefs. The article constructed around Jehovah Witnesses rejecting blood transfusions, and how it is theoretically irrational. Both pressed the reasoning of irrationality due to fear being based on an interpretation inconsistent with all passages of the Bible and Christian practices. Thus leading to the concussion Jehovah Witnesses are uninformed of the conflicting Biblical passages, and not fully autonomous in their decision making. Suggesting when patients act on their autonomy while regarding medical care, it must derive from rational beliefs or it will be false autonomy.

For many people Christianity is the religion of choice and a way of life. Jehovah?s Witnesses are one subgroup of the Christian faith. The JW religion was founded in 1872 by Charles Taze Russell. They comprise 1.2 million of the U.S. population (Campbell, Y., Machan M., & Fisher, M., 2016). They present a unique challenge to the medical community because of their stance on blood transfusions. Part I will provide a

While examining the life of the Lee family, it was easy to identify that Hmong culture is much different than Western culture today. The Lee’s faced many adversities that not only affect their lives but the life of their ill daughter Lia. By analyzing culture, stigma, prevention, and implications, one can begin to see how the Hmong culture collides in the care of Lia.

During emergency moments, patients vary in their choice to receive blood transfusions. Fundamentalist Jehovah's Witnesses are not willing to receive blood products under any circumstances, even when it means losing their lives. Their position is so extreme that they are also not willing to receive a transfusion for their underage children, even those not born yet. However, Ecumenist suggests that secondary components of the blood, such as albumin, coagulation factors and immunoglobulins, should be accepted because they naturally cross the placental barrier during pregnancy, so they do not have the same connotation of the primary components and are no longer considered “blood”. Also, Ecumenist are flexible to those members who receive a transfusion against their will or those who have accepted the transfusion and regret of their actions (Besio). Because of ecumenist’s efforts, Jehovah’s Witnesses are allowed to carry a signed and witnessed “Advance Decision Document” listing the blood products and autologous procedures that are, or are not, acceptable to them. Usually, a copy of that document is placed in the patient records (JPAC). Moreover, ecumenist movements have made it possible for Jehovah’s Witness patients to undergo otherwise religiously questionable procedures such as apheresis, hemodialysis, cardiac bypass with non-blood fluids, as well as the use of recombinant products, like erythropoiesis stimulating agents and granulocyte colony stimulating

Each one of us is a unique arrangement of the same elements; above all, we have unique inherent abilities and capacities, and our capacity to perceive and appreciate others can be utilized in either a positive or negative way. Unfortunately, for the individuals, groups, or organizations who are unable to recognize or choose to ignore the uniqueness of others allow themselves to be influenced towards ignorant inclinations and actions. A disposition towards cultural incompetence and stereotypical behavior is one of the contextual components that constitute the nexus of bias and harmful discrimination we see in our society today; indeed, the dominant force pushing aside and excluding those who are vulnerable. For this case study assignment, this student will focus on the scenario involving the 55-year-old woman who is a Jehovah’s Witness and refusing blood. The scenario was chosen because this student has experienced a similar situation when providing care for a young Jehovah’s Witness patient in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting. This educational exercise will concisely describe assessment of the patient for health

Allowing someone to die: Some religious affiliations (Jehovah’s witness) will not receive a blood transfusion. They have decided not to take advantage of medical technology to preserve life. If such person is in a life & death situation and required a blood transfusion in order to survive the choose to die vs. receiving a blood transfusion.

There appears to be a significant movement within the medical community to minimize or eliminate blood transfusions during surgery. 20,21,22 The group: Associated Jehovah's Witnesses for Reform on Blood " describe themselves as

Children are unable to understand healthcare decisions and are not considered autonomous, thus medical responsibility depends on the parents. Generally, only the parents and not other family members can offer or deny consent for their child’s medical treatment. Since the patient’s condition is an emergency and requires immediate attention, the standard course of action would be to act with beneficence and treat the child using a blood transfusion; however, the parents are Jehovah’s Witnesses and undergoing a blood transfusion violates their religious beliefs. Although the parents do have religious freedom and parental rights to refuse treatment, the child’s health overrides parental rights, i.e. parental rights are not absolute and do not grant

They must respect the choices patients make even if they have a different opinion on the subject. For example, a patient may be a Jehovah’s’ witness and they may need a blood transfusion, however if it is against their beliefs to have another patient’s blood used to sustain their life, they can have a specific but riskier procedure that uses their own blood that is taken from their body put back into them, the nurses cannot force the patients to have a blood transfusion; they must ensure they gain consent before carrying out any medical examinations or procedures. Without the consent of the patient, they must respect their wishes and treat them without the blood transfusion. Nurses and midwives are not allowed to carry out family or friends wishes on the patient if the patient does not wish for it to happen. In certain circumstances for example, if patients are unable to answer or understand what is going to happen or what the situation is, then the patients family or social worker may answer on behalf of them in their best interests. The patient must be respected and nurses and midwives are not allowed to interfere, they are expected to carry out procedures the patients are comfortable with. This creates a positive care environment because patients know that their decisions are not being questioned or judged and they get the correct treatment or advice. Both nurses and midwives should reassure the patients to show that what they

A new graduate registered nurse was recently hired as an emergency room nurse on a level 1 trauma hospital center. Although the clinical experience as a nursing student gave her basic knowledge and understanding about the importance of the nursing profession in a health care setting, the fast-paced environment required her to have more application of her cultural awareness. In her current practice, she worked with Patient Z, a 33-year-old male who is an immigrant from Southeast Asia, who needed a transfusion of packed red blood cells (PRBC) for his preexisting anemia. The patient avoided eye contact all throughout the assessment and denied any pain or discomfort. The patient eventually denied the treatment due to his religion and beliefs. He later disclosed that he is a practicing Jehovah’s Witness. The nurse respected the client’s decision of the patient to decline the treatment and collected all of the information she could find about the patient’s culture as a Southeast Asian and a Jehovah’s Witness. While doing so, she coordinated with the physician in taking another treatment course for this patient. The patient agreed to receive Erythropoietin treatment as a substitute for the initial care plan and was carefully monitored which resulted to favorable outcome validated by the patient’s lab works.

Power/Distance (PD), “refers to the degree of inequality that exists- and is accepted- among people with and without power. A high PD score indicates that society accepts an unequal distribution of power, and that people understand “their place” in the system. Low PD means that power is shared and well dispersed.” (www.mindtools.com) As an example from the article, Myers goes on to say, “there were basically four levels: VP, director, manager, and worker bee. You only talked to people at your level.” SK Telecom boasted that

Jehovah's witnesses’ faith allows them to seek medical help; however, they do not accept blood transfusions. This belief arises from a biblical passage that states "Only flesh with its soul- its blood-you must not eat (Genesis 9:3-4), "You must not eat the blood of any sort of flesh, because the soul of every sort of flesh is its blood. I will set my face against that person who eats blood...Anyone eating it will be cut off” (Leviticus 17:10, 13-14). These passages are interpreted by Jehovah's witnesses as forbidding the transfusion of any blood products. The following presentation will address legal and ethical issues that can arise from this scenario.

Nowadays, globalisation has turned out to be a popular term. As business becomes more and more international, companies try to expand and do business in foreign countries. In order for them to adapt in the global market they need to gain an insight into the different cultures. Understanding a country 's business culture is a vital factor in setting up a successful business and communicating effectively. Cross-cultural awareness is a challenge for every international business person.

I consider myself to me a female, daughter, college student, Catholic, friend, sister, and a future nurse. From the list of identities above, I think being a student and a friend to be the most important in my life at this time. Every day I go to school and work hard to achieve my goal of being a nurse. Along with going to class, I spend a lot of time with my friends.

Socio-cultural assessment is realising and understanding the way a child responds to challenges and change. Their responses and perceptions are based on the world in which they live. Their understanding of the world comes from the values and beliefs of the adults, community, socio-economic status, education and culture that surround them. (Mooney, 2000). When making an assessment on an individual child it is necessary to consider the background and culture in which they exist. Berger (2005), states that "human development results from dynamic interactions between developing persons and their surrounding society and culture." (p.45).