Healing by Heart: Woman with Pregnancy Complications (Week 8 Case Study)

Healing by Heart: Woman with pregnancy complications case study
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Healing by Heart: Woman with pregnancy complications case study
Providing care to diverse populations begins with culturally competent care. To effectively offer care that is culturally competent, an important initial step entails learning more about the cultural practices and beliefs of the diverse population being care for or served by the hospital. Using the perspectives on medicine, culture and cultural competency, this paper discusses the strategies that would be used in handling the many social, cultural and other challenges presented in the case. Furthermore, the paper discusses how the LEARN model would be utilized.
The case of Mrs. Thor clearly depicts how challenges could come up when 2 dissimilar realities meet. As a healthcare provider, it would be important to consider a more holistic approach and take into account the importance of cultural beliefs on the well-being of the patient, Mrs. Thor. The clinician should be aware of and appreciate the Hmong culture as well as its impact on health care. The healthcare provider should ask the patient in which language the patient prefers to discuss her health and trained medical interpreters must be used. Education materials must be provided in both English and Hmong. The clinician must also create rapport by building relationships with the patient and her close relatives, and ask them for their opinions and concerns. Furthermore, the clinician has to tailor patient care plans to the preferences and needs of the patient, and handle this patient as an individual and orient her to the care process (Culhane-Pera et al., 2004). The healthcare provider should also ensure that the patient understands medical instructions by asking the patient to repeat them. The clinician will also have to make an effort to understand Mrs. Thor’s cultural norms as this understanding would enable the clinician to quickly create rapport and ensure effectual provider-patient communication.
The LEARN model basically entails Listening, Explaining, Acknowledging, Recommending and Negotiating. Listen: prior to presenting the clinical information and perspective, the healthcare worker should first listen to the family of the 25-year-old Hmong pregnant woman, Mr. Thor, about their assessment of this woman and the foetus. In essence, listening to the fears and beliefs of the family members as well as their desires for the pregnant woman and her unborn child will be a show of respect as well as willingness and interest to work together (Culhane-Pera et al., 2004). All in all, eliciting the Hmong family’s concepts of pregnancy; pregnancy complications; evaluations of the woman’s pregnancy complications for instance serious, moderate or mild; and the desired treatments for instance w...