DQ: What is the importance of cultural competency in nursing practice?
NRS 429V Week 3 Discussion 1
OLD Question
Discuss how the concept of “health” has changed overtime. Discuss how the concept has evolved to include wellness, illness, and overall well-being. How has health promotion changed over time? Why is it important that nurses implement health promotion interventions based on evidence-based practice?
According to the textbook, the definition of health has changed overtime, Infectious diseases were prevalent and difficult to control in the early 19th century, primarily due to lack of adequate sanitation procedures including in adequate disinfection of drinking water and excessive disposal of human waste. Health was seen in simple terms as free of disease during this period. Disease become more manageable once proper sanitation measures instituted in the 19th and 20the centuries, shifting the definition of health to mean the ability to remain a functional part of society (Falkner, 2018).
According to the textbook, the definition of health has changed overtime, Infectious diseases were prevalent and difficult to control in the early 19th century, primarily due to lack of adequate sanitation procedures including in adequate disinfection of drinking water and excessive disposal of human waste. Health was seen in simple terms as free of disease during this period. Disease become more manageable once proper sanitation measures instituted in the 19th and 20the centuries, shifting the definition of health to mean the ability to remain a functional part of society (Falkner, 2018).
The concept of health grew into more than being disease –free as prevention of disease took center stage, and the World Health Organization (WHO) was established in 1948. Health promotion for communities worldwide was and continues to be the priority of the WHO. As health promotion expanded, the idea of health was seen as an aggregation of variables such as physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.
In an attempt to reduce chronic health problems and encourage safe living, health promotion and disease prevention have taken priority in the united states. The aim is to create health culture in which the emphasis is on health promotion and disease prevention rather than finding care after the start of disease. The Healthy people program was developed in 1979 to help reduce increasing disease related morbidity and mortality rates by setting new targets every 10 years.
DQ: What is the importance of cultural competency in nursing practice?
It is crucial that nurses adopt health promotion policies based on evidenced based practice because the nurse is very active in all health care settings in delivering health promotion strategies. The role of the nurse in health promotion education is expanding rapidly as the emphasis is shifted to preventive measures. The Nurse assess the patient and implements evidenced-based practice while assuming each function and providing health promotion initiatives to patients and the community.
DQ: What is the importance of cultural competency in nursing practice?
Nurse must continuously strive to be competent caregivers based on sound scientific evidenced developed via EBP in their practice. In
Nursing EBP is regarded as the gold standard for guided improvements in nursing practices to enhance patient care. In order to make improvements that strengthen patient care, what makes EBP special is the integration of the latest research, scientific experience and patient expectations and values. (In 2018, Falkner)
References
Falkner, A. (2018). Health Promotion in Nursing Care. In, Health Promotion: Health and Wellness Across the Continuum. Retrieved from: https://lc.gcumedia.com/nrs429vn/health-promotion-health-and-wellness-across-thecontinuum/v1.1/#/chapter/2
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Response
Thank you for this insightful response Pardeep. Indeed, I concur with your post. I believe the scientific advances and societal changes throughout history are associated with the massive enhancements in realization of health. Currently, a maximized level of health, notwithstanding what the definition might be, can only be realized with sufficient resources. However, the realization of optimum level of health is challenged by limited resources, which leads to disproportional allocation of health care services between demographic groups and eventually resulting to disparity in realization of health. Currently, a value-based system in health care has been designed to facilitate high quality of health care services at relatively reduced cost. This system is expected to provide the solution to the increasing crisis in health care system and ensure ideal health is achieved by healthcare consumers. However, the attainment of health is challenged by the problem of high health care cost but with unacceptably low quality of care (Badash et al., 2017). Do you think that adoption of value-based system in health care will enhance quality and lead to realization of optimum health?
DQ: What is the importance of cultural competency in nursing practice?
References
Badash, I., Kleinman, N. P., Barr, S., Jang, J., Rahman, S., & Wu, B. W. (2017). Redefining health: the evolution of health ideas from antiquity to the era of value-based care. Cureus, 9(2). doi: 10.7759/cureus.1018
In 1946 the World Health Organization (WHO) defined health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (World Health Organization, 2019). They went a step further in 1986 to include that “health is, therefore, seen as a resource for everyday life, not the objective of living. Health is a positive concept emphasizing social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities” (First International Conference on Health Promotion, Ottawa, 21 November 1986, n.d.). The concept of health is no longer just the absence of disease, it is now to lead a healthy lifestyle in all aspects of life. It is also important to focus on our mental well-being as well and to promote an environment that supports that.
Health promotion is an integral part of healthcare. People are living healthier lifestyles to prevent illness instead of waiting until something goes wrong and then trying to correct the problem. It is important that nurses implement health promotion based on evidence-based practice (EBP). Nurses need to stay current on all new EBP in order to find the best interventions for each different patient and how to best promote a healthy lifestyle for them. For instance, due to EBP we have seen the effects of handwashing, social distancing and wearing a mask. We can now take that knowledge and apply it to preventing the spread of COVID and promoting health.
References
First International Conference on Health Promotion, Ottawa, 21 November 1986. (n.d.). Www.Who.Int. https://www.who.int/teams/health-promotion/enhanced-wellbeing/first-global-conference
World Health Organization. (2019). Frequently asked questions. Who.Int. https://www.who.int/about/who-we-are/frequently-asked-questions
Response
This is an insightful response Robin. I concur with you. The reality is that the concept of health has changed overtime. The perception of physicians’ decades ago is far from the perceptions that physicians hold today. This is attributed to the societal changes and scientific advances. Similarly, the perceptions on the concept of health have gone drastic evolution due to societal changes and scientific advancements. However, the most important thing is that the definition of health that operates at any given time should be practical universally across various nations world over. That is, the definition of the concept of health should be developed to work for everyone or probably work for more individuals across various segment of the life (Capua & Cattoli, 2018). Therefore, the definition of the concept of health should be revised periodically to account for the necessity of early and effective disease management and health promotion. To keeping up with the evolving concept of health, health care providers should consider continuous education and regular trainings. What is your perception on changing concept of health?
The concept of health has changed considerably over time. According to a general timeline by Falkner (2018), health was the absence of disease through the early part of the 19th century and considered the ability to remain a functional part of society in the early 20th century. Improvements in sanitation made diseases more manageable, and vaccinations eradicated many other common illnesses through these periods (Falkner, 2018). Today’s health care professionals are taking a proactive approach by educating their clients and encouraging disease prevention, not just treatment after disease or illness presents itself. Today’s definition of health is also more than being disease-free. It encompasses wellness, promoting healthy living, and disease prevention. Health today involves the whole client or the holistic approach, made up of physical, mental, and spiritual wellness.
As with the definition of health, health promotion has evolved to encompass a broader definition. The World Health Organization [WHO] (n.d.) defines health promotion as the process of allowing people to increase control over and thus improve their health. This definition is lived by nurses. Nurses not only educate clients about treatment options and the disease process, but they teach about healthy lifestyles, reducing risky behaviors, developmental needs, screenings, and preventive care. This combination of things gives clients increased control over and improves their health.
Research also leads to improvements in health care with the development of evidence-based practice (EBP). Using EBP, the nurse is equipped with the most current information as well as resources regarding healthy lifestyle and healthy choices. Nurses are then able to educate their clients using EBP to reinforce their teaching. The more current the information, the better informed the client. One of the most important reasons nurses should include evidence-based practice interventions while promoting the client’s health is that the well-informed client is better equipped to make quality health decisions throughout their lives.
Falkner, A. (2018). Health promotion in nursing. In Grand Canyon University (Ed.), Health promotion: Health & wellness across the continuum. Grand Canyon University. https://lc.gcumedia.com/nrs429vn/health-promotion-health-and-wellness-across-the-continuum/v1.1/#/chapter/2
World Health Organization. (n.d.). Health promotion. https://www.who.int/westernpacific/health-topics/health-promotion#
The idea of health can be subjective considering different ideologies and cultural practices and beliefs. In ancient times, health was vastly influenced by religion, that it was believed that prayers and sacrifices and must be made to gods in order to achieve health. People during that time believed that diseases were actions of demons (Badash, et al., 2017). In the past, health was viewed as simply the absence of an illness or an unpleasant condition or state (Grand Canyon University, 2022). Early definitions of health focused mostly on the body’s ability to function normally. As more studies were conducted, and biotechnology continued to advance, diseases became more manageable. Vaccines and other medications were introduced, which helped eliminate illnesses. The shift in the definition of health and wellness then shifted toward disease prevention. In 1948, the World Health Organization proposed a definition that encompassed a broader realm of wellness. It linked health and physical, social, and mental well-being, and not just the absence of disease (Sartorius, 2006). There are many aspects of health that need to be considered. Murdaugh et al. (2018) defined health as the accomplishment of innate and acquired human potential through relationships, behaviors self-care while adjusting and adapting to maintain harmony with the environment. They also argued that people who are not free of illness are not equally health. Aside from physical well-being, outlook on health must also include mental, social, and spiritual wellness. It should also focus on family and community. With the evolving and varying concepts of health and illness, overall, they are based on an individual’s perception of them.
Health concepts were made into theories and models, and as diseases emerged and got eradicated through research, inventions, and advancements in medicine and nursing practice, health promotion has also become a priority. Nola Pender proposed a health promotion model to complement health protection models. The model describes the multidimensional nature of people and how they interact with their environment to pursue and achieve a state of health and wellness. Health-promoting behaviors were significant because they led to positive outcomes, improved health, and better quality of life throughout the developmental stages (Murdaugh et al., 2018). Several organizations and government agencies also take an active role in health promotion though their research and campaigns. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services launched Healthy People 2020 to provide evidence-based 10-year national health promotion and disease prevention objectives (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d.). It is important that nurses implement evidence-based health promotion interventions because these have been proven to be safe and have positive outcomes. When evidence-based practice and interventions are implemented, the nurse also becomes efficient providing care for the patients. The likelihood of illness recurrence or readmission is greatly minimized when appropriate interventions are done.
References
Badash, I., Kleinman, N. P., Barr, S., Jang, J., Rahman, S., & Wu, B. W. (2017). Redefining Health: The Evolution of Health Ideas from Antiquity to the Era of Value-Based Care. Cureus, 9(2), e1018. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.1018
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Healthy People 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/healthy_people/hp2020.htm
Grand Canyon University (Ed.). (2022). Health promotion: Health and wellness across the continuum (2nd ed.)
Murdaugh, C. L., Parsons, M. A., & Pender, N. J. (2018). Health promotion in nursing practice (8th ed.). Pearson.
Sartorius N. (2006). The meanings of health and its promotion. Croatian medical journal, 47(4), 662–664.