title: The important role for nurses in supporting the Asian Hindu patient and family at end of life: providing culturally sensitive end-of-life care.
abstract: As cultural ecology of Canada evolves with daily arrival of new immigrants, Canadians welcome them and feel very proud of preserving their multicultural heritage. As minority groups, especially South Asian Hindus, continue to grow, there is a need to understand their cultural perspectives and accommodate their cultural preferences for end-of-life care. This article addresses end-of-life care from a point of view of Hindu culture and religion and provides a brief overview of their beliefs and rituals related to it. This article also guides nurses to understand diverse Hindu cultural practices and beliefs to help support their patients and families at this difficult time of life.
authors.affiliation: Hotel Dieu Grace Hospital, Windsor, ON. msanuradha@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Anuradha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Freeman
mesh_terms: D044466:Asian People; D001293:Attitude to Death; D054521:Cultural Competency; D018596:Hinduism; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing*; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000458:organization & administration*