Healthcare System and Cultural Practices in Australia and Canada

Running Head: HEALTHCARE
0
Nursing Assignment
4/24/2019

HEALTHCARE
1
The essay brings about the discussion on the aspects of healthcare system and other
practices prevailing in the contemporary nursing care in Australia. The aspect of
contemporary nursing practice refers to the learning, which intent to enhance the health of the
individuals through an essential role of nurse. It determines to explain elements such as
essential communication skills, knowledge, and aspects of professional standards of
healthcare. For exploring and acquiring an understanding on these aspects, two different
ethnic groups/countries have taken, i.e. Australia and Canada. The health care practices or
services in this assignment will be illustrated in reference to these two nations. The
discussion will assess and demonstrate the health practices and cultural concepts in context to
Australia, and will identify any issues of culture clashes faced by the nurses in the health
facility. The elements of the family care, health literacy, and religious and spiritual
considerations will be illustrated. In the later part of the essay, recommendations will be
provided in context to the strategies appropriate for managing the issues arising due to
cultural differences within healthcare (Mas et al., 2015).
Australian healthcare system
The health-care system includes a mix of private and public service providers, and the
finance is offered with all departments of government, health guarantors, non-government
organisations. The universal health care system in Australia is known as Medicare, which
offers health services to all the permanent residents and citizens at free of cost. The private
health system in the country managed, owned privately such as private hospitals.
Western culture is prevailing in Australian environment primarily imitate from Britain
however also impacted by the Australian continent, i.e. the varied involvement of Aboriginal,
Torres Strait Islander and further Oceanian individuals. Culture of health can be defined as
the aspect as one in which good health and wellbeing is assured transversely demographic,
geographic and social segments. It aims to foster healthy and equitable communities, which
further guides in effective decision-making process, leading to the freedom of choice for a
healthy lifestyle (Bezin et al., 2017).
The country has a linguistically and culturally diverse residents, with many of their
residents born overseas and originating from Non-English communication nations. It has
been found that individuals from the culturally varied backgrounds, are less probable to attain
the mental health services, which is one of the major problem. Culture is an important factor
of health, and ill health, as the influence of culture on health is vast affecting the perception

HEALTHCARE
2
of illness, and beliefs about death and health promotion. Therefore, while diagnosing,
treatment, or management of the health issues or illness of their clients, health providers need
to be culturally sensitive (Clifford et al., 2015).
Health and cultural practices differ in their belief or perception towards the health,
illness, and treatment. For gaining an understanding of various health and cultural practices,
the assessment of two ethnic groups from the Australia and Canada will be done. Different
ethnic groups exist in Australia such as Indigenous Australians, Australians, Torres Strait
Islanders, Aboriginal Australians, and others.
To state about the culturally diverse groups, such as indigenous Australians it has
been analysed that the health status of indigenous Australians people remain below than the
non-indigenous counterparts in Australia. Many of the indigenous Australians suffer from the
mental health problems, respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and usually die at a
younger age. Therefore, the use of tobacco and illicit substances has observed in the
Australians, which reduces their life expectancy, and affects overall health. The role of
families, and care of the support members is considered vital in the case of indigenous
Australians. This is because they believe certain factors affecting health of their children can
be controlled by the family care (Adams et al., 2017).
On the other hand, Torres Strait Islanders are the indigenous people of the Torres
Strait Islanders, who belong to a part of Queensland Australia. Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander concept of health state that health does not mean physical wellbeing of the person,
but also the other factors. It means that the health is assessment in context to social,
emotional, and cultural aspects (Hughson et al., 2018). In the aspect of health services to the
people in Australia it has found that, various challenges are faced by health specialists with
providing care to the Aboriginal individuals. It occurs due to the distance in cultural aspects
amid the mainstream culture and Aboriginal culture, in context to the health belief structures.
The individuals, who belong to these ethnic groups, believe that the health care facilities must
ensure providing effective services to the people within country. In this context, the role of
Australian government is vital ensuring better access to the health-care services to these
individuals and improves their wellbeing (Chakawa & Hoglund, 2016).
Discussing the role of family and caring culture practices, for Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander it has found that they depend on utilising western health care services. The
individuals in these groups do not rely upon the aspects of family-centred care and use of