Health Initiative for Pacific Islanders

Running head: ASSESSMENT TASK 3
Health Initiative for Pacific Islanders
Name of the Student
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Author Note

1ASSESSMENT TASK 3
New Zealand is said to have largest concentration of Pacific islanders or inhabitants of
Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia (Tukuitonga, 2013). There are huge differences in health
outcomes for this population, which can be attributed to a combination of several factors, such
as, socio-economic inequality, less access to quality healthcare services, lack of nutrition,
behaviour, attitude, beliefs, and unemployment. Most Pacific Island countries are affected by
double burden related to high rates of under-nutrition and higher rates of obesity and overweight
among adults (Hawley & McGarvey, 2015). Hence the major health initiative would be to
address the malnutrition challenge in this context.
According to reports by the New Zealand health survey, high costs of healthcare services,
communication, and transport are major barriers faced by Pacific Islanders (Ministry of Health
NZ, 2018). The role of a nurse would be to identify the diverse nutritional needs of all clients,
belonging to the target population, and work towards promoting implementation of a healthy diet
among all people. The nurse will be involved in all aspects of nutritional care, related to
enforcing education programs and making the people adhere to dietary modifications that will
reduce rates of malnutrition. They will focus on the dietary concerns of the entire population,
with an emphasis on preventing obesity (Bjerrum, Tewes & Pedersen, 2012). Making
presentations at community healthcare centres, and explaining benefits of special meals that have
been formulated, following guidelines enforced by the government, will help in teaching the
patient's about a healthy diet. They will also be responsible for documenting alterations in weight
loss, oral health, reduced appetite, and physical activity. This will help them to assess nutritional
status of the Pacific Islanders, and make alterations in the health initiative (Marshall, Cahill,
Gramlich, MacDonald, Alberda & Heyland, 2012). Hence, the nurses will act at the forefront of
nutritional cares and will work with Pacific Islanders at all levels, to help them understand

2ASSESSMENT TASK 3
importance of good diet patterns. They will also work with a commitment to address the
biochemical individuality of each person, and will also facilitate implementation of integrated
nutrition programs at school levels (Pbert et al., 2013). Adoption of these strategies will help in
ensuring success of the aforementioned health initiative related to appropriate nutrition.
The nursing profession has its foundation on traditional values and beliefs that are related
to caring for individuals in distress. The nursing culture emphasizes on assumptions, beliefs,
values, learned responses, and behaviour towards all patients. The nursing culture comprises of a
series of collective knowledge based structures or cultural schema that are socially constructed.
These structures often rely on consensus, negotiation, and agreement for sustenance.
Socialization process and interaction on a regular basis helps in communicating about the beliefs
and responses (Mueller, Burger, Rader & Carter, 2013). The fact that nursing culture demands
analysing the stereotypical myths and conception can be linked to the fact that it is a female
dominated profession. Thus, the nurses are required to deliver care that is culturally competent,
which includes recognition of skills, attitudes, and knowledge that support caring for the Pacific
Islander people, belonging to different linguistic and ethnic backgrounds. The nurses are
expected to form an effective communication with the Pacific Islanders, while explaining facts
about the health initiative related to nutrition programs that will be implemented in the
population. Cultural differences might affect the attitudes of the Pacific Islanders about the care
that will be provided to them (Henderson & Fletcher, 2015). It will interfere with their ability to
manage and understand the course of the program, and its immediate consequences on their
health. Pacific islanders are a large ethnic group that holds several cultural beliefs, which the
nurses should be aware of. The nurses should consult with the oldest male in their families and
should consider that individual as the spokesperson or decision maker, before implementing any