Developing Cultural Competence for Providing Therapeutic Relationship with Aboriginal Patients

Running head: ABORIGINAL CARE
ABORIGINAL CARE
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

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ABORIGINAL CARE
Introduction:
Culturally competence is an essential attribute that every nursing professionals need
to develop in order to provide high quality and safe nursing interventions to the patients.
Researchers are of the opinion that cultural competence often contributes to higher patient
satisfaction and therefore better outcome on the health of the patients coming from varied
backgrounds (Clifford et al., 2015). Cultural competence can therefore be defined as the
ability of the providers as well as the organisations for effectively delivering healthcare
services which would meet the social, linguistic as well as the cultural needs of the patient
(Hunt et al., 2015). This assignment will show how therapeutic relationship can be
established by the healthcare professionals with an Aboriginal patient with efficient cultural
competency. This would help in ensuring patient satisfaction and help her lead better quality
life developing trust on the western healthcare system.
Discussion:
Aboriginals mainly consider health as a holistic concept which encompasses the
different aspects of emotional, physical, social, cultural as well as spiritual well being of not
only the individual but of the entire community. Therefore, it is extremely important for me
to develop cultural awareness and the cultural knowledge about each of the aspects so that the
cultural needs and expectations of the patient could be satisfied (West et al., 2018).
Researchers are of the opinion that each of such patients tend to have their own individual
needs and beliefs and therefore the professionals should never follow “one size fits all”
approach to care for the patient. Studies suggest that rural, urban, discrete and remote
Aboriginal and Torres Islander communities have different types of needs (Green et al.,
2018). Differences also extend to certain types of cultural practices as well as beliefs between
clans and language groups. Mrs Windbarra belongs to the remote communities as she had

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ABORIGINAL CARE
been born and brought up there and now a member of the Torres Islander group after her
marriage. Therefore, specific cultural knowledge according to her needs should be assessed
by the nursing professionals before initiating care for the ailments.
In order to develop a culturally appropriate and therapeutic relationship with the
patient, it is necessary for the nurse to nurture faith as well as hope of the patients and being
sensitive to self as well as to others. They should be also assisting with the gratification of the
physical, emotional as well as spiritual needs of the patient through knowledge and skill and
thereby respect the autonomy and dignity of the patient. Researchers are of the opinion that
there are many different types of experiences which the patients can go through (Garneau &
Pepin, 2015). The nursing professionals need to consider all such factors for respectful and
culturally competent care. The nursing professional caring for Mrs. Windbarra need to
consider the fear and distrust of the mainstream health services and the buildings and this can
be threatening and alienating. Moreover, such patients might also have perceptions of
extreme disbalance of power due to oppressive history and disadvantages faced by them. Mrs
Windbarra might also develop feeling of vulnerability as well as isolation along with shame
and disempowerment. Patients like her are also seen to harbor cultural misunderstandings as
well as stereotypes and disrespect. They are also seen to face financial burden and even
accommodation difficulties (Kendall & Barnett, 2015). Therefore, the nursing professionals
who would be caring for the patient named Mrs. Windbarra needs to communicate with the
patient and the family members and understand whether the above mentioned barriers are
present or not. If present and not handled with delicacy, it might prevent the development of
therapeutic relationship with the patient. Hence, this arena needs to be cared for. Handling of
the emotional stress will have better outcomes on her health.
Aboriginal patients do not feel comfortable in sharing or disclosing their private
information with the nursing professionals. Mrs. Windbarra is having heart disorders and the