My Cultural Background
When considering the cultural influences that have left the greatest impact on my personality, I must mention the African American culture, the elements of which have surrounded me throughout my entire life. Born in an African American family, I have a profound understanding of the issues that affect people of the African American community. The specified knowledge is crucial for a nurse, who needs to be aware of the factors that play a pivotal role in shaping a patient’s health and affecting their well-being.
Thus, having an in-depth understanding of the prejudices that African American people have to encounter and fight, economic concerns, the absence of the knowledge and skills required to maintain good health, and other problems, I can design the nursing strategy that will help make a difference (Chlebowy et al, 2015). Specifically, I can contribute to designing a program aimed at building awareness within the target community. In addition, as someone who remains connected to the community, I can help build trust between a patient and a nurse, which is essential for a successful treatment.
Family’s Cultural Legacy
In addition to having a strong link to the African American community, I also have Cherokee Indian descent. While I do not possess the intrinsic understanding of the culture and do not know every aspect thereof, it is a part of my identity because of my Cherokee Indian grandparents. Having had a strong influence on my childhood and formative years by teaching me about their values and philosophy, my grandparents have passed a sizeable portion of Cherokee culture to me. As a result, I can communicate with the representatives of the Cherokee culture without major misunderstandings and even build a strong connection with them.
The specified aspect of my identity can be seen as crucial to the successful management of my nursing responsibilities. For example, when encountering patients of Cherokee descent, I can establish a positive dialogue with them. Moreover, my knowledge of the specified culture will inform me about the factors to which Cherokee patients are subjected, as well as possible hindrances in administering a particular treatment to them (Mera, 2016).
In addition, the combination of the African American and Cherokee Indian legacies has contributed to the acquisition of multicultural communication skills for me as a nurse. Being aware of the problems that an intercultural conversation may entail, I am capable of locating the specified hindrances and remove them to ensure a complete understanding of patients’ needs. The specified ability also implies managing some of the myths associated with healthcare that patients from diverse cultural backgrounds may have. As a result, the quality of care increases steeply.
In addition, the fact that a single mother raised me has played an important role in my professional growth. While I have felt the lack of a father figure in my life, I have learned to appreciate the connection that my mother and I share. As a result, I recognize the need for patients to receive active support from their family members (Olwit, Musisi, Leshabari, & Sanyu, 2015). When considering an intervention or therapy, I always assign supportive roles to a patient’s family members and ensure that they take an active part in the process of therapy. Thus, the recovery takes place at a much faster pace.
Religious Beliefs and Values
In addition to having a multicultural background, I am also a Baptist. As a Christian, I am also aware of other traditions associated with my religion and know an impressive amount of information about Christianity, in general. My beliefs do not serve as constraints for practicing nursing in the target community. Quite the contrary, the Christian values, and ethics that I follow help me focus on promoting well-being and focus on the needs of vulnerable populations, adopting a patient-centered approach.
Therefore, my religious beliefs have affected my personality to a considerable degree, allowing me to accept the essential principles of nursing such as nonmaleficence, beneficence, justice, and autonomy (Stewart & Scott, 2018). Whenever an ethical dilemma associated with a patient’s well-being appears, I always choose the solution that leads to the best patient outcomes and meets the needs of all parties involved. Moreover, I ensure that my religious beliefs do not make me break the principles of ethics in nursing or harm a patient in any way. Instead, I tend to use these values to create a connection with the community to promote patient education.
In addition, the specified religious beliefs, particularly, the emphasis on nonmaleficence, beneficence, and justice, are crucial for establishing a proper leadership strategy within a nu
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