Leininger’s theory is all about cultural care, which takes into account ethnic, religious, age, and cultural differences. The nurse cannot treat every patient the same and is ethically obligated to care for a patient in a culturally competent manner. For example, some cultures prohibit women from speaking directly to a healthcare professional and must have their husband present to do so. Others may have religious requirements that must be followed such as providing a kosher meal to a practicing Jewish patient. The list is endless, but it is your job as a nurse to know your patient and provide this care.
Being Jewish, the first thing that comes to my mind is a respect and tolerance of faith based cultures and traditions that carry through to the hospital. Particularly with patients following the Jewish dietary laws of being kosher, observance of modesty, observance of the Sabbath and other religious holidays, and death rituals.
Appropriate nursing actions would be to identify the patient and family’s faith-based culture and traditions and intervene to meet those spiritual needs to promote spiritual wellness and high levels of patient-family satisfaction.
At our facility we are required to take a cultural diversity class yearly. However, the classes since the COVID-19 it is on-line which prevent the personal element. I wish that the school would focus more on this topic. In school cultural diversity should be consider before we design a care plan. For examples, when I was in school, this particular patient was labeled not cooperate, refusing baths and shaving. I decided to talked to his family an learned that the patient was not accustomed to taking and shaving daily. He grew up during the depression and only shave if necessary (once or twice of a month). His bath time was weekly (Saturday); daily he would wash his face, under his arms and his private parts. No females were allowed.
