Cultural Differences in Nursing Practice

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Introduction
The phenomenon of globalization has led Hong Kong to become a culturally diversified society in terms of behaviors, values, beliefs and norms.
Culture directs an individual’s thinking, doing and being. Within the context of nursing practice, cultural backgrounds can influence views on health and well-being and illness, which in turn might have an effect on their perceptions on healthcare and its outcomes. Transcultural care has become an important aspect of health care due to the concerns regarding the challenges encountered in the care for culturally diverse clients. Nowadays the goal of the nursing service is to provide the optimal and holistic care for all clients, to be culturally competent is an ingredient in order to accomplish quality care and health outcomes. Nurses in clinical practice have to utilize and gain the understanding of transcultural concepts to develop and implement culturally sensitive nursing cares to the multiplicity of people who now live in contemporary social communities. (Leininger, 2002).
The centrality of diverse culture or religion practice and the family are closely interrelated and reflect many aspects of health care. All in all, these come to an issue to me as I have been working in a private Christian hospital.
Case description
In the following, I would like to share one of my experiences that I encounter as an obstacle so far.
I have been working in an oncology medical ward of a private hospital for four years since I graduated. I have no religious but I do not resist to the chaplain counseling and I do admire to such acute chaplain referral to clients who need in this Christian hospital. Honestly, though I encounter numerous suffering and dying cases everyday, I still find myself not cultural competent enough to handle all the clients and families of diverse cultures.
Mr. Chang, a Mainland China man aged 46,

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