Cultural competency is essential in nursing practice because it enables nurses to communicate effectively with patients from diverse cultural groups. Cultural competence also guides nurses in providing care tailored to patients’ needs, beliefs, and values (Botelho & Lima, 2020). In this scenario, the patient is a 19-year-old female Muslim. Nurses caring for the patient should consider Islamic beliefs and values to provide culturally competent care. As the provider attending to the patient, I will consider her cultural values and beliefs when interviewing her. I will ensure modesty and privacy are maintained throughout. I will also respect the presence of family members since the concept of family is vital in this culture. I will ensure my interview questions align with the patient’s culture. I will also avoid my conscious and unconscious biases and assumptions about Muslims when interviewing the patient because they can affect my judgments. I would communicate with the patient in a language that she understands. This will make it easier for her to express her feelings, thoughts, and concerns. I will also avoid stereotypes concerning Muslims when communicating with the patient. In case of a language barrier, I will utilize an interpreter.
Muslims have unique beliefs and values that should be respected when receiving care. Since not all healthcare providers are familiar with Islamic beliefs, there are Muslim healthcare facilities designed for Muslim patients. For example, in the United States (US), the Assalam Clinic focuses on providing care to Muslim immigrants without medical insurance and the general community (Assalam Clinic, n.d.). Most providers in the facility are Muslims; therefore, they understand Islamic beliefs and values. They provide quality and culturally competent care to Muslim patients to improve health outcomes. The hospital offers general medical care services, adult psychiatric services and treats pulmonary and kidney diseases. Muslim patients feel comfortable accessing healthcare services where fellow Muslims care for them. In this regard, Assalam is an important healthcare resource to the Muslim community.
Assalam Clinic. (n.d.). About us. https://www.assalamclinic.com/about-us/
Botelho, M. J., & Lima, C. A. (2020). From cultural competence to cultural respect: A critical review of six models. Journal of Nursing Education, 59(6), 311-318. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20200520-03