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Medical-Surgical Nursing

What Should the Nurse Do?

Medical-Surgical NursingWhat Should the Nurse Do?

What Should the Nurse Do?

1 .
Ms. Rodriguez, a 40-year-old Hispanic female, is admitted to the hospital with a newly diagnosed chronic illness of type 2 diabetes. She speaks conversational English and primarily communicates with her family members in Spanish. The nursing team is responsible for providing her with culturally sensitive care and ensuring effective communication. When the nurse explains how to take her metformin and test her blood glucose daily, Ms. Rodriguez replies, “Si, dios quiere,” which interpreted means, “If God wants it to be.” How would you reply to Ms. Rodriguez’s response?
2 .
You are a nursing student assigned to care for a patient from a cultural background different from your own. The patient’s cultural beliefs and practices are unfamiliar to you, and you want to ensure that you provide culturally sensitive care. What should you do to promote cultural awareness in this situation?
You are a nurse working in a community health clinic. One of your patients, Ms. Johnson, a 45-year-old single mother of two children, recently lost her job due to company downsizing and is struggling to make ends meet. She has been experiencing chronic stress and anxiety due to her financial situation and has begun smoking again. She also lives in a neighborhood with limited access to fresh and affordable nutritious food options and buys fast food for her children almost every day. Her children attend a school where there is a lack of physical activity programs and limited access to health-care services. They have also been struggling academically due to the stressors at home. As her primary care public health nurse, you recognize the significance of addressing the social determinants of health in improving Ms. Johnson’s overall well-being.
3 .
What social determinants of health are impacting Ms. Johnson’s health status and well-being? Identify at least three social determinants in her case.
4 .
How can you collaborate with other health-care professionals, community organizations, and social workers to address the social determinants of health affecting Ms. Johnson and her children?
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