[Patience Mashakeni]

#85648

Everyone involved in a patient’scare should understand patient history and cultural and religious background may influence expectations, needs, choices in decision making. Different cultural and ethics groups may have various expectations about what should happen and the type of care a person receives. The doctor and other members of the care team may have different backgrounds. It’s important to collect enough information about the child or patient cultural background.

[Sue Boucher]

#85834

I completely agree, Patience. It is so crucial to understand different cultural beliefs, traditions and backgrounds when participating in shared decision making.

[Bev Gibson]

#86313

Cultural and religious misunderstandings have lead to so much heartache and mistrust in our beautiful country. If only there was a manual of “Do’s and Don’ts” for each culture/religious group, but as most cultural and sometimes (with newer less ‘structured’ beliefs), preferences within a family have often been adopted by that family as their own personal choice, it would be impossible to list all the right things to do and wrong things to avoid that would keep us out of trouble!
I guess, this is where quiet observation, tactful questioning and then cultural/ religious sensitivity would play a big part, especially when dealing with the very difficult area of ill children and how they are cared for.

[Author]

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