The Importance of Cultural Competence in Nursing Practice

The United States is known for its diversification, and the Rio Grande Valley is quickly undergoing this diversification as well. This diversity significantly shapes nursing practice and significantly highlights the need for cultural relevance. Cultural, ethnolinguistic, and religious sensitivity also plays a pivotal role in the care of the patients. This discussion will focus on how culture influences nursing and religious point of views and a real-life experience where spiritual patient needs where incorporated into a care plan.

The concept of cultural competence in nursing practice refers to the ability of a nurse to provide quality care that is culturally sensitive. Promoting it offers the best chance to provide high-quality care to patients of diverse backgrounds (Sharifi et al., 2019). Nurses in the United States and more recently regions like the Rio Grande Valley are receiving patients who have diverse cultures, language and religion. Such a wide range of variety calls for an appreciation and tolerance of different practices and beliefs with regard to health issues to embrace a holistic care approach.

Religious approaches should not be overlooked since spirituality generally has significant influence over the physical state of health (Fitch & Bartlett, 2019). Incorporation of cultural sensitivity into practice allows nurses to gain trust, enhance the client’s status and offer culturally sensitive care to all patients. An example of spirituality as a part of the holistic patient care was where I encountered a male patient suffering from a terminal illness; this patient derived solace from religion. Observing that he receiving nursing care from me, from time to time he said he wanted to have a priest. Understanding the significance of this request, I arranged for a priest visit according to the plan of the patient’s care and the schedule. The visit of the priest also lifted a tremendous burden of stress off the patient as observed from his improved emotional state. This scenario demonstrated the value of tangibly caring for the patient’s spirit and the need for cultural sensitivity within the nursing profession.

In conclusion, cultural competence within the nursing profession focusing on religion is paramount in offering quality care. Culturally appropriate care allows the patients to develop confidence in the nurse or the hospital, increase chances of positive outcomes as well as providing care that is in harmony with the patient’s beliefs. Incorporation of spiritual health in practice not only covers the patients’ needs but also ensures the respect of the patients’ values in the health care delivery system especially in the culturally diverse societies such as the Rio Grande Valley and other parts of the world.