Question

1. You are a nurse working in a labor and delivery unit in a small town near a Native American reservation. Charity, your patient, is about to give birth to her sixth child. Her family does not have health insurance. Normally she would give birth at home; however, her blood pressure is high. Her family is doing a dance to scare away the evil spirits that brought about this medical condition. She is in a lot of pain but refuses an epidural. She believes that pain is something that should be tolerated. There are also about 20 family members present to watch the birth, including all of her children. After the baby is born, she hand-expresses colostrum from her breasts and disposes of it. Additional family members arrive with all sorts of food to celebrate the birth of the baby. (Learning Objectives 5 and 6)

A. What are the cultural traits with Charity and her baby that are specific to her Native American culture?

B. How would you provide culturally sensitive nursing care to Charity and her baby?

Answer 1

A. What are the cultural traits with Charity and her baby that are specific to her Native American culture?

The cultural traits include

-Avoiding epidurals and believing that the pain of delivery is to be bared by the women and she must bare it at any cost.

-Colostrum feeding is avoided as they believe that colostrum is not good milk to be given to baby.

-They also believe in evil spirt and any disease is caused due to evil spirt.

B. How would you provide culturally sensitive nursing care to Charity and her baby?
-Explain the charity regarding importance of health and importance of colostrum to the baby.

-Understanding charity that science is based on evidence and proved.

-Explaining her that pregnancy and delivery is not a punishment to be bared and need of taking medications to relive pain.

-Explain her regarding nutritive value of colostrom and help her in modifying her cultural stigma.

-Explain her regarding inportance of taking medicines and understanding the importance of breastfeeding.

-Nurse should respect her cultural traits while conveying the informations.

-Explain the importance of baby bath ,care etc to her.

-Explain the importance of exclusive breast feeding.