Jerri Phipps

Kinlea Hensel
English IV H
20 Nov. 2014
Culture and Religion in Health Care
Many obstacles come about to complicate a health care providers job. Throughout a
single day a health care provider sees approximately eleven to twenty from twenty-one to thirty
patients depending on their rank and workplace. Many countries during the 21st century have
become multicultural which interferes with the type of patients Health Care providers deal with.
This sometimes could hinder a health care providers job. Working with patients of a different
culture may affect the job of a health care provider by complicating communication, prohibiting
specific procedures or medications, requiring a specific setting or things be done by them and/or
making it difficult to discover the issue due to the patients limits.
When a patient that practices a different religion than the health care provider seeing
them may result in a change in the precautions the health care provider takes. It is important to
address patients spiritual and religious beliefs when they come in the health care setting because
it reflects their impact on health-related decisions and behaviors. Based on the article Patients'
Religious and Spiritual Lives, the daily lives of sixty percent of Americans is influenced by
their religion; those who undergo inpatient or outpatient medical treatment express strong
religious and spiritual orientations. Based on a survey of one hundred and fifty outpatients, it was
agreed that spiritual health is as important as physical health. This sometimes can be a problem
because, Some professionals may feel uncomfortable obtaining information about patients
religious beliefs, (but) it is no different than inquiring about their sexual or psychological beliefs,

substance abuse, etc (Brick Johnstone). It is important to consider religion when dealing with
a patient who is of a different culture because as a healthcare worker, it is a want to be sure the
patient receive the best and comfortable care as well as allowing the worker to discover the
extensive context in which the patient is operating in. Religious traditions tend to be as complex
as they are long, and it is impossible to predict how any one patient or family member may
understand or apply them in the context of health care (Ehman). For this reason it is important
to understand their religion so that the patient and the family understands how religious/cultural
values may be pertinent to a hospital stay and/or the procedures that will be done in the future
regarding the patients health issue. It is also important to be aware of the patients sacred
time/objects so that the health care provider does not interfere with ones tradition or belief.
sacred object should be allowed in a patients physical space and on the body. All caution
should be taken to safeguard them. They should not be removed (or even moved) without talking
with the patient/family (Carteret). It is also studied that the concept of time varies based on the
religion followed making it important to know the times scared to the patient so that that time is
not interfered with.
It is important to have clear and understandable communication with a patient so that
they receive the best possible information allowing them to understand what their state of health
is and what precautions will need to be taken to help cure their condition. Communication can
transform a patients health care experience conducting a smoother path to better health
(Wilson). To tie communication in with religion, in some religions find peace and strength
through their priest or leader, The need for adequate language interpreters in healthcare settings
is uniformly addressed, but it is also imperative for people to be able to communicate with
leaders of their faith community. These influential figures can help interpret what is happening

on a spiritual level during a health crisis for patients and their families (Carteret). Effective
health communication is a distributed amongst patients, families, and the health care team.
Communication can either make a patients medical experience positive or poor. Ways it can
make it poor is leading to negative outcomes, longer visits, delays in patient care,
misunderstanding, and low patient satisfaction. A good plan of care that incorporates effective
health communication methods can follow up to increased preventive health visits, patients who
are involved in their care and more likely to follow instructions, increased trust, satisfaction, and
comfort for patients, families and providers (Wilson). Speaking two different languages is very
well an issue every day in health care facilities, statistics say ethnic minorities account for
nearly 25% of the U.S. population. The best way to deal with this situation is to have a
professional interpreter available. It is better to have a professional serve as an interpreter rather
than a family member or friend of the patient because a family member or friend may not be able
to interpret medical concepts and/or medical terminology; not only this, but they might also
avoid telling patients important information in attempt to shield them, or may add their own
comments. Some other ways to communicate when you dont speak the patients language is to
use pictures, synthetic body models, and/or demonstrations with actual equipment that get your
message across, use simulations to show what you are trying to communicate, use audiotapes
made in the language(s) of your patient population to present routine information such as
admission procedures, room and unit orientation, or preoperative procedures (Non-English
speaking patients). The same methods can be used for patients who cannot hear effectively;
although, The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires physicians to provide auxiliary
aids and services so they can effectively communicate with deaf and hearing-impaired people, as
well as the deaf family members of patients (Kelly). Gestures and interaction can also be factors

of communication that can either be a downfall or up rise for a patient and health care providers
relationship. It is important to know what gestures that patients of a different culture find
offensive so that in the act of trying to help their medical issue you do not harm or offend them.
For example, some gestures or acts done by Americans may be highly offensive to someone of a
different culture; it is possible that they interpret it differently.
Sometimes when working with patients of a different culture, patients prohibit certain
medications due to their belief of different cures and remedies, which creates barriers to care;
they also might prohibit specific procedures that are normally done by health care facilities.
Often a persons religious belief or tradition interferes with procedures, Providers should
encourage patients and family members to interpret how religious/cultural values may be
pertinent to a hospital stay--regarding personal needs, interaction with staff, and decisions about
treatment (Ehman). For example, some Buddhists may express strong, culturally-based
concerns about modesty meaning they may regard treatment by someone of the opposite sex.
Being a strict vegetarian is also common in Buddhist, for such patients, medications that are
produced using animals are likely to be an issue. End of life care and death are also problematic
issues with Buddhist because in Buddhist tradition, death is conceived as a time of crucial
"transition," with karmic implications and Buddhism teaches that the body is not immediately
devoid of the persons spirit after death, so there is continued concern about disturbing the body;
therefore minimum actions are to be taken upon this situation. Hindu patients sometimes express
strong, culturally-based concerns about modesty, specifically regarding treatment by someone of
the opposite sex; because of this genital and urinary issues are not often discussed with a spouse
present. Hindus can sometimes be strict vegetarians, refusing to consume any meat or animal byproducts, even medications that are produced using animals are likely to be problematic. A

cultural norm of Hindus is to use the right hand for "clean" tasks and their left hand for "unclean"
tasks; medical and nursing staff should consider this right-left significance before hindering a
patient's hand or arm movement in any way. Hinduism teaches that death is a crucial
"transition," with karmic implications. There may be a strong desire that death occur in the home
rather than in the hospital. Family may wish a number of pre-death rituals (for example, tying a
thread around the persons neck or wrist), and after death they may request to wash the patient's
body (done by family members of the same sex as the patient) (Ehman). For Jehovah's
Witnesses, a prohibition in health care is being against receiving blood (red blood cells, white
blood cells, platelets, or plasma), through transfusion, medication containing or manufactured
using blood products, or in food. A common encounter is with the Muslim patients, they may
express strong, religiously/culturally-based concerns about modesty, regarding treatment by
someone of the opposite sex. It might be essential to a Muslim woman to cover her body
completely, she should always be given time and opportunity to do so before anyone enters her
room. Women may also request that a family member be present during an exam and if possible,
desire to keep on her clothes during an exam. Muslim men may find examination by a woman to
be extremely challenging, nudity is highly discouraged. There should be no casual physical
contact by non-family members of the opposite sex and eye-contact should be avoided. Also,
Muslims may stay away from drugs that have porcine origins or that contain gelatin or alcohol.
Each ethnic group brings its own perspectives and values to the health care system, and many
health care beliefs and health practices differ from those of the traditional American health care
culture (How culture influences health beliefs).
Patient requests from patients of a different culture are very common. It is important to
acknowledge these requests so that the patient is comfortable when receiving medical care.

Showing modesty towards the patient can cause a more comfortable experience, Modesty is not
just about covering up or wearing specific clothing. By definition, modesty is about respect. A
provider who takes cultural modesty into account is someone who shows respect and caring in
the highest degree (Carteret). Having modesty is important when it comes to working with any
patient; it ties in with a decline in procedure as well as patient request. Such request that tie in
with Buddhist patients are the following: the Buddhist religion has strong emphasis on
"mindfulness," so patients may request peace and quiet for the purpose of meditation, especially
during crises such as a medical issue, the patients or family may pray or chant out loud in
repetition, use a string of beads during prayer, a picture of the Buddha may be requested to sit in
the patient's room, sometimes there may be a requests to burn incense or candles which for an
alternative could be placing flowers or setting up a small electric light. End of life care and death
also might request in different ways of handling the body which was discussed in the previous
paragraph. For a Catholic patient, sacraments and blessings by a Catholic priest are very
important, especially whenever there is a perceived risk of death or before surgery patients may
request Holy Communion prior to surgery. The sacramental requests most often made by
catholic patients are for "Sacrament of the Sick", Confession, and Holy Communion. If a patient
is near death, there may be a priority request for a Catholic priest to offer "Sacrament of the
Sick" or if already performed, a request for a priest to offer prayers and bless the patient.
Catholics may request baptism which should be relayed to a Catholic priest. Although, if an
infant is likely to die before a priest can arrive, they may be baptized by any person with proper
intent, the person would say a script while pouring a small amount of water over the infant's head
three times. Some patients may want to keep religious objects, such as a rosary, a scapula, or a
religious medal. If patients request an object stay with them during medical procedures, discuss

an option of putting the object in a sealed bag that can be kept on or near the patient so that no
rules are violated. Many religions have spiritual holidays, praying dates/times, and diets that
should be taken into consideration by the health care provider.
Many situations can come about to difficult the job when working in the healthcare field;
a common difficulty working as a health care provider is working with the patients. Working
with patients can become a troublesome task when the patient is of a different culture, one that
the provider is not acknowledged of. Situations such as complicated communication, prohibiting
of specific procedures or medications, a required specific setting or things be done by them
and/or making it difficult to discover the issue due to the patients limits are some broad
examples of circumstances that may do this. Culture is one of the many concepts which nursing
is based and defined on, nurses that work in a multicultural society need to be aware that other
cultures exist to avoid assuming that patients will accept a particular cultural pattern. Part of
treating individuals with respect involves respecting and understanding their culture and values
rather than promoting prejudice and stereotypes and/or not providing the best care possible due
to lack of knowledge of other cultural beliefs. It is important that health care providers
implement their knowledge of cultural diversity in order to develop a culturally sensitive nursing
care which enables them to be more effective in commencing nursing assessments and serving as
patient advocates.

Work Cited
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Culture." Dimensions of Culture RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2014.
Carteret, Marcia M. Ed. The Role of Religion in Providing Culturally Responsive Care.
Dimensions of Culture. DimensionsofCulture.com. Pew Charitable Trusts. Fall 2011.
Web. 13 Nov. 2014.
Ehman, John. Religious Diversity: Practical Points for Health Care Providers.
uphs.upenn.edu. The University of Pennsylvania Health System Co., 2008. Web. 13 Nov.
2014.
"How Culture Influences Health Beliefs." EuroMed Info. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2014.

Kelly, Christine K. "American College of Physicians: Internal Medicine Doctors for Adults
Learning to Communicate With..., ACP Observer Nov 97. N.p., Nov. 1997. Web. 13
Nov. 2014.
"Non-English Speaking Patients." EuroMed Info. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2014.
"Patients' Religious and Spiritual Lives." Patients' Religious and Spiritual Lives. Medical
University of South Carolina, n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2014.
Wilson, Dan. "Culture and Communication in Health Care." Moore Library News. N.p., n.d.
Web. 13 Nov. 2014.