title: Cultural assessment in home healthcare.
abstract: As the nurse becomes adept at performing cultural assessments and culturally competent care, it will become clear that "although it is critical to conduct a cultural assessment with culturally and ethnically diverse groups, it is also important to realize that every client needs a cultural assessment. Every client has values, beliefs, and practices that must be considered when a clinician renders healthcare services. Therefore, cultural assessments are not limited to specific ethnic groups, but rather should be conducted on each individual" (Campinha-Bacote, 1995, p.148). Nurses who have been identified as good transcultural nurses have been found to be empathetic, caring, open, and flexible. They have a positive attitude toward cultural differences and have a genuine interest in learning from the client about the client's culture (Emerson, 1995). Talabere (1996) states that openness, appreciation of another's perspective, holistic communication, genuine interest, and a nonjudgmental attitude are central to cultural sensitivity. When a culturally sensitive nurse develops mutually agreeable goals with a patient from another culture, a kind of cultural synergy occurs, resulting in care that is "meaningful, satisfying and beneficial to clients" (Leininger, 1988, p.155).
authors.affiliation: Inova VNA Home Health, Springfield, Virginia, USA.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Narayan
mesh_terms: D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D016746:Transcultural Nursing / Q000379:methods*