Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Health: A Case Study

This case study examines Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, focusing on nursing interventions and the importance of cultural safety. The study presents three fictional cases of adolescent females from Queensland experiencing ACS symptoms, highlighting their family backgrounds, schooling, medical histories, and cultural needs. It emphasizes the need for nurses to be culturally aware and competent to provide effective care, including understanding religious beliefs and values. The study also discusses the importance of clear communication, symptom monitoring, and collaboration with healthcare organizations to ensure culturally safe medical practices. Key interventions include medication management, pain relief, and addressing individual patient needs while respecting their cultural backgrounds. References to relevant research articles support the findings and recommendations.

Case Study on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Health
Introduction
The purpose of the present study is to build a fictional case study and produce in a digital poster focusing upon the
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child health (0-15 years). Early adolescence (12 to 15 years) group of the population
have been targeted for ATSI health and healthiness program. The specific health disease focused on people experiencing
acute coronary syndromes of symptoms.
Case study
The age group for the compiled case study has been considered to be adolescence. All of these subjects are high school students.
Case 1:-
Name - Kirra Aibadu
Age - 15 years
Sex - Female
Religion - Aboriginal Religion
Family - Kirra lives with her father, mother and her three siblings. She has a younger sister and a younger brother, along with an elder
brother.
The place they live - The subject and his family is from Queensland and is also living there.
Schooling - Kirra is in high school studying in 10th standard.
Medications - The subject does not take any medication.
Medical and surgery history - The subject has not medical or surgical history
Conditions before needing an intervention- Acute Coronary Syndrome
Cultural needs - The subject has moderate religious beliefs and values
Case 2:-
Name - Warren Leealowa
Age - 17 years
Sex - Female
Religion - Aboriginal Religion
Family - Warren stays with her mother and father along with her younger sister.
The place they live -The subject and his family is from Queensland and is also living there.
Schooling - The subject has completed her schooling and will start college shortly.
Medications - Warren occasionally has to take medication for her herpes. That is to stop it from spreading or infecting.
Medical and surgery history - The subject has no medical or surgical history.
Conditions before needing an intervention- Acute Coronary Syndrome
Cultural needs - The subject has high religious values and beliefs
Case 3:-
Name - Maya Baking
Age - 16 years
Sex - Female
Religion - Aboriginal Religion
Family - Maya is a single child, she lives with her father and mother.
The place they live -The subject and his family is from Queensland and is also living there.
Schooling - Maya studies in 11th standard.
Medications - The subject is allergic to nuts and corns and has to carry an emergency adrenaline injection with her just in case of any
emergency
Medical and surgery history - The subject had to be taken to the hospital twice due to her allergy issues.
Conditions before needing an intervention- Acute Coronary Syndrome
Cultural needs - The subject has high religious values and beliefs
Topic Information
The selected health issue for the program is acute coronary syndromes which fall under the category of acute health
condition. This kind of acute health is reactive, and cure is focused on episodic care. According to the statistics Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander people are experiencing symptoms which are termed as acute coronary syndromes (ACS).
Depending on the types of ACS the following drugs are going to be prescribed:
Clopidogrel or Aspirin and sometimes both. If fibrinolytic therapy is not given ticagrelor or prasugrel can be considered
(Korda et al. 2009).
Beta Blocker
V nitroglycerin
Statin
Nursing Interventions
Keeping comprehensive and clear note has been crucial for ensuring all the nursing interventions and caring for the patients
with ACS. Artuso et al. (2013) stated the clinical status of the patient including the management plan and the areas of
concerns are also priorities of the nursing care. They should monitor the femoral access sites or the monitor radial which
would let them recognise the complications. The diabetic patients should be regularly monitors and put the IV insulin within
their blood GTN (Huffman and Galloway 2010). Furthermore, symptom monitoring is also important for achieving the pain
relief in the morphine and GTN.
Cultural Safety
According to Sun and Buys (2013), information about cultural awareness and cultural safety is explained with relevance to
the client in your case study and includes how as a nurse you would apply cultural safety principles into care and the practice
of nursing. There is required a demonstration of understanding and the importance of practising in a culturally safe way for
this client.
Cultural safety in this situation is based on a power relationship between the nurses and the patients in their care. Cultural
safety requires a certain level of attitudinal, cognitive and also personal skill to develop the relationship between the nurse
and the patients in care (Couzos and Murray, 2008). For me to develop a culturally safe practice, I need to have to ability to
make changes in the services to accommodate needs that are culturally diverse. There are three steps that I and my
healthcare organization can follow to provide a culturally safe way of medical practice among my clients.
I need to have the cultural awareness or consciousness of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to provide them with
better care and culturally sound advice. Engaging conversations with the hound adolescent patients will be imperative for me
to gain cultural consciousness of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. This would help me as a nurse to properly care for
my patients belonging to the similar culture and help cure the diseases.
References
Artuso, S., Cargo, M., Brown, A. and Daniel, M., 2013. Factors influencing health care utilisation among Aboriginal cardiac patients in
central Australia: a qualitative study. BMC Health Services Research, 13(1), p.83.
Brown, A., 2010. Acute coronary syndromes in indigenous Australians: opportunities for improving outcomes across the continuum
of care. Heart, Lung and Circulation, 19(5-6), pp.325-336.
Couzos, S. and Murray, R., 2008. Aboriginal primary health care: an evidence-based approach. Oxford University Press.
Huffman, M.D. and Galloway, J.M., 2010. Cardiovascular health in indigenous communities: successful programs. Heart, Lung and
Circulation, 19(5-6), pp.351-360.
Korda, R.J., Clements, M.S. and Kelman, C.W., 2009. Universal health care no guarantee of equity: comparison of socioeconomic
inequalities in the receipt of coronary procedures in patients with acute myocardial infarction and angina. BMC Public Health, 9(1),
p.460.
Nugent, A.W., Daubeney, P.E., Chondros, P., Carlin, J.B., Cheung, M., Wilkinson, L.C., Davis, A.M., Kahler, S.G., Chow, C.W., Wilkinson,
J.L. and Weintraub, R.G., 2003. The epidemiology of childhood cardiomyopathy in Australia. New England Journal of
Medicine, 348(17), pp.1639-1646.
Sun, J. and Buys, N., 2013. Participatory community singing program to enhance quality of life and social and emotional well-being
in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians with chronic diseases. International Journal on Disability and Human
Development, 12(3), pp.317-323.
Conclusion
The subject of this study is who have an acute disease that is, Acute Coronary Syndrome and arranging their nursing
intervention program. Five clients are typically focused on arranging wellness program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
group of people. I need to have the cultural awareness or consciousness of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to
provide them with better care and culturally sound advice. Engaging conversations with the hound adolescent patients will be
imperative for me to gain cultural consciousness of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. This would help me as a nurse
to properly care for my patients belonging to the similar culture and help cure the diseases.