Lewis et al: Medical-Surgical Nursing: Assessment and Management of

Clinical Problems, 7th edition

Key Points

Chapter 3: Culturally Competent Care

• Culture encompasses the knowledge, values, beliefs, art, morals, law, customs, and
habits of the members of a society, including the systems of technology, education, social
structures, and political practices.

• The demographics and cultural composition of the United States are diverse. Therefore it
is important for nurses to be aware of cultural differences of patients in health care
settings.

• Recent immigrants may be at risk for physical and mental health problems. This may be
related to their country of origin or exposure to various factors in their new area.

• Cultural competence is a multiple-step process that involves the integration of

knowledge, attitudes, and skills to enhance a working relationship with an individual who
is from a different culture.

• Certain culture-related factors that must be considered in health care settings include the
use of folk healers, spirituality, communication styles, familial roles, personal space,
touch, nutrition, disease susceptibility, immigration, medication interactions, and
psychologic factors.

• Verbal and non-verbal communication should be culturally assessed.

• A medical translator should be used when a nurse does not speak the patient’s primary
language.

Copyright © 2007 by Mosby, Inc., an affiliate of Elsevier Inc.