Discussion Question (2) -Public Health Nurse-PHN-600- Topic 4 DQ 2

DISCUSSION QUESTION-PHN-600-Topic 4 DQ 2

Using the Participant Observation technique, identify health issues prominent within a cultural group from your community to describe your observations. What challenges might public health nurses face in eliminating bias in their assessment and treatment of people of other cultures? Discuss the public health nurse’s ethical and moral obligation to treat others equally and with respect in the context of Jesus’s teaching that we treat others as we would like to be treated.

For the question above- Please use the Hispanics/Latinos for the cultural group from my community to describe observations.

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Solution

Participant Observation Technique

Though  participant observation of Hispanic patients in a  clinic waiting room,  in my community I have noted that  the Hispanic cultural group has prominent health issues related to obesity and overweight The high rates of obesity among the Hispanic cultural group contribute to the higher prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer. The main contributors to the high prevalence of obesity and overweight among Hispanics include food preparation methods, preferred foods, and the adoption of a sedentary lifestyle. Most Hispanics prepare foods with high sugars, oil, and salt, which contribute significantly to obesity. On the other hand, most Hispanics consume large amounts of fast foods and processed foods such as soft drinks, contributing to obesity.  Most Hispanics also adopt a sedentary lifestyle and are rarely involved in any physical activity.

Challenges in Eliminating Bias

The main challenge that public health nurses will face in trying to eliminate bias during the assessment and treatment of people of diverse cultural backgrounds is stereotypes. All individuals, including public health nurses, will therefore obtain generalized and, most of the time, untrue information about other cultural groups through socialization (FitzGerald & Hurst, 2017). Therefore, public health nurses can struggle to remain objective as a result of strong stereotypes formed as they were growing up (FitzGerald & Hurst, 2017). Such stereotypes can make it hard for public health nurses to eliminate any bias during the assessment and treatment of diverse cultures. Public health nurses have a moral and ethical obligation to treat all individuals with respect and dignity based on Christian teachings. Christianity teaches that all human beings were created in the image of God. This implies that all human beings are equal and should receive equal treatment in all aspects of life, including healthcare settings.

References

FitzGerald, C., & Hurst, S. (2017). Implicit bias in healthcare professionals: a systematic review. BMC Medical Ethics, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-017-0179-8

Mier, N., Smith, M. L., Wang, X., Towne, S. D., Carrillo, G., Garza, N., & Ory, M. G. (2017). Factors Associated With Diet and Exercise Among Overweight and Obese Older Hispanics With Diabetes. SAGE Open, 7(2), 215824401771084. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244017710840