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Running Header: Ethnically Diverse PA and NP

Working with Ethnically Diverse PA's and NP's

Jonathan Bland

Working with Healthcare Professionals/ HSC4060 S01

South University

Professor Nelva Lee

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In the medical field there are many nationalities working within America.
Currently working at one VA medical center in Los Angeles there is an Indian Medical
doctor, a Pilipino nurse practitioner, and a Chinese nurse practitioner. Throughout the
VA system there are a multitude of nurse practitioners and physician assistants that are
non-US citizens at one point in their life. The military personnel that see these providers
are used to change and they understand that their providers are acting on their best
interest so they conform to the care that the providers give. The providers all have
medical training that originated in the United States. When providers arrive to see their
patients for the first time there is always a chance in the VA medical system that the
provider is seeing a patient that at one time was literally shooting a weapon at that
providers nationality at one time. A patient came to our clinic one day and saw our
Chinese nurse practitioner. After the exam he came to check out and requested to see
another provider because in his words," I killed so many of her kind I don't care to be
taken care of by her". This happens in the VA system, not much in civilian world.
The providers that see patients on a daily basis have to be able to communicate
their medical issues. Providers have come up with interesting ways to make sure the
patients are able to talk to their providers about all of their needs. They hand out forms
that patients fill out while their waiting in the waiting room prior to seeing their provider.
They write down all of their concerns so the doctor can go over each of the problems
prior to the patients leaving. The providers can also write down what the patients
instructions as well as tell them about what they need to do prior to coming back on
their next scheduled visit.

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Depending on the patients level of education can depend on the patients are
addressed. The patients with a lower level IQ can be hard on the providers to help them
understand that the care they are providing. Providers can also ask if someone else can
come with the patients to help them understand The patients that are smarter are able
to talk to providers and get the level of understanding needed for the best care. Older
patients present problems with understanding of the way medications and care should
be addressed daily. These patients often take more time in the clinic. Patients with
multiple problems, i.e. high blood pressure, high triglycerides, diabetes, etc. often
present problems when they don't comply with the doctor's orders so they must spend
more time to help the patients understand the need for care. If the patients are disabled,
for example, missing limbs, they may present another problem they must care for the
disability and the patients needs. Patients with reading disabilities may present issues
when trying to follow the medication orders. Patients that are blind need special
precautions when the medications needed to be taken daily. Politics should be left out
of the medical field. Patients need care not a lesson in politics when visiting the medical
providers.
When providers see patients the providers need to always present themselves as
professionals. With each patient a provider has every patient will be looked after
differently. The provider must understand that their patients ability to communicate
maybe different. The patient's ability to talk may not always be there in the normal forms
that providers use. Patients who are deaf may need a translator to understand.
Providers, no matter the original nationality, should always treat each patient with
compassion and respect.

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Bibliography
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