Question

A patient’s cultural beliefs and practices are important influencing factors during the prenatal period. A new patient in the clinic has just moved to the area from India and speaks some English.

1. What cultural beliefs and practices in regard to Western medicine can affect a patient’s participation in prenatal care?

2. What can the nurse do to provide culturally sensitive care

3. Compare the advantages and disadvantages for each type of childbearing setting: hospital, freestanding birth center, and home.

Answer 1

1.The cultural beliefs and practices in regards to western medicine can affect a patient's participation in the prenatal care

• The adverse effects of allopathic medications used during pregnancy
• Patient participation in antenatal program like childbirth can be odd for them and sometimes can trigger their emotions and fear
• The type of foods which has to be included and excluded in an antenatal women us different when it comes to traditions of India against the western medicine
• Expectations on the newborn as a boon or a welfare if the family in bringing good spirits
• The spouse attending the delivery is not in the Indian culture rather a women has to attend it.

2.The nurse can do the following to provide culturally sensitive care

• Ensuring to gather and gain knowledge regarding cultural diversity
• Provide preferences to patient choices and respect and treat them with dignity
• Health educate the women and family regarding the availability of various medical services. In order to gain confidence and trust on western medicine .

3.The advantages and disadvantages of each child bearing setting are

	Hospital	Freestanding birth center	Home
Advantages	Any medical emergency can be attended Complications can be prevented Vaccinations can be administered at the earliest or before discharge Sterile delivery can be conducted and hence infection can be prevented	It is similar to hospital but provides more comfort than it Cost effective compared to hospital	Highly comfortable for the women Increased confidence ,emotional or psychological support
Disadvantages	Expensive Fear experienced by women in new setting	Risk in case of any critical labour Travelling in the middle of the labor or immediately after delivery in case of complications	Very high risk I'm case of any complications arises Delayed birth vaccination