Culture in Nursing Class 1.  A nurse on a surgical unit mentions that she would like to know more about various cultures and how to take care of patients with diverse cultural backgrounds. a.   How could you use the Andrews/Boyle TIP Model to support her wish to provide culturally competent care? b. Give an example of how the surgical nurse might use the Andrews/Boyle TIP Model in her everyday practice.

Culture plays a significant role in healthcare, including nursing practice. Nurses who understand different cultures and possess cultural competence skills can provide better care to patients with diverse cultural backgrounds. The Andrews/Boyle Transcultural Interprofessional Practice (TIP) Model can be a useful framework to support a surgical nurse’s desire to provide culturally competent care. In this context, I will discuss how the nurse can use the TIP Model to enhance her understanding and practice in culturally diverse settings.

a. The Andrews/Boyle TIP Model, developed by Madeleine Leininger, aims to guide healthcare professionals in providing culturally congruent care. This model consists of three interrelated components: the sunrise/decision-making dimension, the cultural care preservation or maintenance dimension, and the accommodation or negotiation dimension.

Using the TIP Model, the surgical nurse can support her wish to provide culturally competent care by following these steps:

1. Assess the patient’s cultural background: The nurse can start by gathering information about the patient’s culture, beliefs, values, customs, and preferences. This may involve asking open-ended questions, using cultural assessment tools, or seeking assistance from an interpreter or cultural liaison.

2. Reflect on personal cultural biases: The nurse should reflect on her own biases, stereotypes, and assumptions about different cultures. It is essential to become aware of personal biases to provide unbiased care and avoid misunderstandings or conflicts.

3. Seek cultural knowledge and understanding: The nurse should actively seek knowledge and understanding of diverse cultural perspectives, practices, and healthcare beliefs. This may involve researching cultural norms, attending cultural competency workshops, or engaging in intercultural communication.

4. Identify culturally congruent interventions: Based on the patient’s cultural background and preferences, the nurse should develop an individualized care plan that respects and incorporates cultural values, traditions, and practices. This may involve seeking input from the patient, their family, or cultural resources available in the healthcare system.

5. Implement culturally sensitive care: The nurse should provide care that aligns with the patient’s cultural beliefs and practices. This may include providing culturally appropriate communication, addressing spiritual needs, modifying dietary considerations, or incorporating traditional healing practices, if desired by the patient.

6. Reflect and evaluate: After implementing culturally congruent care, the nurse should reflect on the outcomes and evaluate their effectiveness. Reflecting on the care provided can enhance cultural competence and guide further improvements in practice.

b. To illustrate how the surgical nurse might use the Andrews/Boyle TIP Model in her everyday practice, let’s consider an example:

The nurse is preparing to care for a patient who belongs to a culture that highly values modesty and privacy. The patient has expressed concerns about having multiple healthcare providers in the room during examinations. Using the TIP Model, the nurse can approach this situation as follows:

1. Assess the patient’s cultural background: The nurse gathers information about the patient’s cultural beliefs and preferences by asking open-ended questions during the admission assessment. The nurse learns that the patient’s culture values modesty and privacy, particularly with regard to opposite-gender healthcare providers.

2. Reflect on personal cultural biases: The nurse reflects on her own cultural biases and assumptions. She acknowledges that her own cultural norms may differ from those of the patient and makes a conscious effort to suspend judgment and approach care from a culturally sensitive perspective.

3. Seek cultural knowledge and understanding: The nurse engages in self-directed learning about the patient’s culture. She seeks information from reputable sources, consults with colleagues who have experience with the cultural group, and discusses the patient’s preferences with the patient and their family.

4. Identify culturally congruent interventions: Based on the patient’s cultural background, the nurse creates a care plan that respects the patient’s values and preferences. The nurse arranges for same-gender healthcare providers to conduct any necessary examinations and ensures that the patient’s need for modesty and privacy is respected throughout the hospital stay.

5. Implement culturally sensitive care: The nurse communicates with the healthcare team, ensuring that all members are aware of the patient’s need for gender-specific care. The nurse facilitates coordination among different providers and ensures that the patient’s preferences are respected during examinations and procedures.

6. Reflect and evaluate: After providing the care, the nurse reflects on the outcomes. The nurse seeks feedback from the patient and their family regarding their satisfaction with the care provided and addresses any concerns or issues that arise. The nurse considers this feedback in subsequent encounters to continually improve culturally competent care delivery.

By using the Andrews/Boyle TIP Model in her everyday practice, the surgical nurse can enhance her awareness, knowledge, and skills in providing culturally competent care. This model provides a systematic approach to understanding and meeting the unique needs of patients from diverse cultural backgrounds.