In: Nursing
You are working in the ER when an older adult woman, of Arab heritage, is brought in for what appears to be a possible heart attack, She is coherent and keeps saying that she lives with her son and that you must contact the local Imam before she can be treated for any healthcare issues. There is a sense of urgency. How might you handle this situation in the most culturally competent manner?
In a case of urgency like this, first of all it is very crucial to keep yourself cool and think collectively. Secondly, it is very important to ask the patient to be calm and try to create a relationship of trust with them. In this case, I will try to be polite and understanding for the Arab women and tell her that everything is under control and she need not to worry. I will assure her that we understand the importance of Imam for her and will tell her that someone from the team is already trying to contact the local Imam and she can definitly meet him as soon as he is here but before that it is very important for her and the team to stablize the current condition of the body. I will ensure her that we are not starting any full fledged treatment for her heart problem and she can certainly decide that after her meeting with the Imam but right now stabilizing her current condition is the urgent need of the situation and if we do not intervene right now, she might not be able to meet the Imam or her son in full sences.