Multicultural Health Issues and Health Care Practices

Question: Discuss about theMulticultural Health Issues and Health Care Practices. Answer: Introduction The multicultural group chosen are the Croatians who migrated to Australia in four waves each in a particular year. The first wave began in 1851, then 1947, the 1980s and recently the 1990s. The recent migrants who came as refugees are composed of the middle ages, married and in many numbers professionals thus having a health care encounter with this group require a professional with cultural sensitivity. This paper explores this cultural groups religious, social, economic and cultural beliefs in regards to health care dispensation, perception, seeking, interaction among others (Anon, 2016). The religious perspective of the Croatians is closely related to the Christian calendar. They celebrate the All Saints day on first November, where they pray at the cemeteries putting chrysanthemums as a remembrance of their dear ones (Anon, 2016). Again, the Assumption of Mary on the fifteenth of August involves prayers as well. Moreover, Easter and Epiphany are celebrated in late March and early April and sixth of January respectively. On these special days, clients have special needs and therefore, confirming with them, and their families help meet their desires. For instance, a religious leader may be availed in the hospital to pray for the sick on these special moments. Allowing them to undertake their religious activities is paramount as a nursing intervention, intriguingly, none of their practice related to religion and fasting affects the delivery of care or poses a nursing ethical dilemma (Anon, 2016). As part of the nursing plan of care, the Croatian cuisines are considered according to the clients preference. For instance, breakfast mostly includes toast and fruit light meals. Importantly, morning tea mainly includes ham, sliced meat, pickled vegetables, cheese and fresh bread. Wine or liqueur that is homemade may be added. Also, there could be traditional pastries, cakes, and sweets after the meal. Often, black tea is used during this time. Lunch involves stews or soup immediately followed by vegetables and meat. Fasting is dependent on the clients strength in religion and is carried out in preparation for the special days like Epiphany (Uzun and Sevin 2015, pp.3400-3408.). Many of the Croatians communicate in a voice that is loud and possess a style of communication that is animated. However, they may have communication problems with English and as an enrolled nurse, using a specific and clear language in making decisions that are informed and communicating the clients prognosis is vital for continuity of care (Colic-Peisker 2012, pp.149-166). Moreover, the expectation from most Croatians of maintaining a direct eye contact and keeping a personal space in non-verbal communication is essential. Additionally, most of the Croatians have no direct impediments to seeking health care since they adhere to the modern culture of treatment and maintaining health like doing exercises, frequent checkups, taking prescribed medications from a general practitioner (GPs) among others. One common health practice among the Croatian senior citizens include massage, seeking care by faith healers and herbal medicines because of their experiences in Croatia earlier in life. However, this has changed over time due to modernisation and mixture of cultures. Residential support and care are a fear that most of them evade by refusing to admit their illnesses and pain (Internations.org, 2016). Most of the people from this group experience stressors like social isolation, language barriers, and adoption of a new culture in Australia. Some of the manifestations of these strains include paranoia, depression, low self-esteem among others. Discrimination by all the systems from health, justice, social, economic and others has triggered a mindset of fear and decreased interaction (McAllister 2016, pp.1-17). Both the federal and State governments have tried to tackle this problem by enacting policies similar to those of the Aboriginals and the Torres Strait Islanders and gradually, the problems are fading. Other common stressors for this group are related to normal human fears like death and disability. In a clinical setting, alleviating these concerns through guidance and counseling, health teaching among other interventions can shorten the time of recuperation (Hawkins 2011, pp.248-249). The senior citizens are the group affected by the primary cultural practices in Croatia such as the use of herbal medicines and traditional healers. For instance, a senior man who fled Croatia in the recent immigration phase still clings to the fact that bleeding and pain have to be tolerated by men and it is only women and children who may express their real feeling of it. It significantly hinders the way a nurse can rate the pain that the client is feeling (Morawska 2010, pp.196-197). A case where the client is having abdominal pain due to intestinal obstruction and pretends not to be feeling the intensity of the pain can lead to a misdiagnosis and eventual aggravation of the disease. Therefore, explaining the importance of honesty and openness to the patient helps in the overall and multidisciplinary administration of health care (McAllister 2016, pp.1-17). Since many of them are affiliated to Roman Catholic, death is a moment of observing religious rites and rituals. Administration of the last rite is one of this practices that is given at the time of dying. It is one among the rosarys seven sacraments, and it represents the events of Our Lady and the life of Jesus Christ. They use beads of the rosary as a helper in praying. Moreover, particular families may prefer that a Croatian priest helps the patient during his/her last moments to death for sanctification. The last rite can be conducted just before or immediately after death, and some families may prefer to groom and dress the corpse before being taken to a funeral home. Many of the Croatians prefer being buried according to the Christian ways as opposed to cremation. However, some of the families cremate the dead and return the ashes to the family homeland in Croatia. Therefore, death and burial are dependent although many of them prefer burial as stipulated in the Bible (Dss.gov .au, 2014). The Croatians migrated to Australia in four phases, and some have tightly held to their culture while others have been assimilated into the Australian way of life. Their religious practices and special days are similar to the Christian ways since they embrace Roman Catholicism. Moreover, special cuisines like meat dish, black tea, sweets, and seafood are mostly used by this group. They have a special way of communication which may be in an animated style. Also, some may have a problem communicating in English since The Croatian language is entirely different. They also have stressors like social discrimination and language barrier. Burial and death practices conform to the Roman Catholic ways. Nursing interventions are mainly inclined to cultural sensitivity, altruism, and multidisciplinary engagements. Reference List Anon, (2016). [online] Available at: https://www.diversicare.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Profile_Croatian.pdf [Accessed 29 Sep. 2016]. Colic-Peisker, V. (2012). Croatians in Western Australia: migration, language and class.Journal of Sociology, 38(2), pp.149-166. Dss.gov.au. (2014).The Croatia-born Community | Department of Social Services, Australian Government. [online] Available at: https://www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/settlement-and-multicultural-affairs/programs-policy/a-multicultural-australia/programs-and-publications/community-information-summaries/the-croatia-born-community [Accessed 29 Sep. 2016]. Hawkins, R. (2011). Migration, Class, and Transnational Identities: Croatians in Australia and America, by Val Colic-Peisker.Labor History, 52(2), pp.248-249. Internations.org. (2016).Croats in Australia Croatian expats in Australia | InterNations. [online] Available at: https://www.internations.org/australia-expats/croats [Accessed 29 Sep. 2016]. McAllister, I. (2016). National identity and attitudes towards immigration in Australia *.National Identities, pp.1-17. Morawska, E. (2010). ValColicà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Peisker . Migration, Class, and Transnational Identities: Croatians in Australia and America. (Studies of World Migrations.) 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