JFK/Mulhenberg School of Nursing: Muslim Patients in Healthcare

This report examines the essential aspects of culturally competent nursing care for Muslim patients. It addresses crucial considerations such as physical appearances, the sensitivity surrounding physical touch, the importance of respecting religious practices, and the role of family in the patient's ...Read More

Running head: NURSING MUSLIM PATIENTS
NURSING MUSLIM PATIENTS
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
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Contents
Introduction:....................................................................................................................................2
Physical appearances:......................................................................................................................2
Physical touch:.................................................................................................................................3
Disclosing sensitive information:....................................................................................................3
Importance of family in the caring process:....................................................................................4
Maintaining religious practices during the times of ailments:.........................................................5
Conclusion:......................................................................................................................................6
References:......................................................................................................................................7
Appendix:........................................................................................................................................8

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Introduction:
Cultural competency in nursing can be defined as the ability of the healthcare
professionals and organizations in delivering healthcare services effectively that satisfy the
cultural, social and linguistic necessities of patients (Vu et al., 2016). The growing number and
the mobility among the Muslim people had made it certain that the healthcare professionals
would be encountering different Muslim patients in the clinical practices. Specifically for the
Muslim women, healthcare professionals need to develop proper awareness about the common
barriers ensuring that the care that they provide such women become valuable to them. They
need to know about the diversity of the religious practices, health beliefs as well as the
preferences for the Muslim women as well as their families. This would enable them to provide
culturally competent care that would satisfy them and help them to live better quality lives. This
report would be including the various considerations that would help the nurses to be
knowledgeable and skillful to treat such patients successfully.
Physical appearances:
The interview with the Muslim women community revealed that they are extremely
sensitive about their physical appearances in public places. Many of the women revealed that
their hijab is the embodiment of virtue, respect as well as their modesty. They wear burqas to
cover their entire neck, head, torso as well as limbs. When analyzed, it was found in the article
that quran instructs men to conceal the area from navel to knees covered. However, women are
expected to dress up in ways that hide their arms, torso to their wrists and legs to that of ankles
as well as hair (Tackett et al., 2018). Hence, for concealing their bodies, they are seen to use
abayas, jilbabs and even chadors which are loose fitting garments. Therefore, it is advisable for
healthcare professionals to get engaged in physical examinations of Muslim female patients after

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clarifying the clothing preferences of such patients. They should try to confirm their levels of
comfort and accordingly they should be limiting the examination procedures to only the aspects
that are needful and necessary (delPino, 2017).
Physical touch:
Muslim women revealed in the interview that they do not feel comfortable being treated
by male nurses and other professionals. They avoid visiting healthcare centers because of the
uncertainty of whether their concerns would be respected or not. The article also confirms the
statements made by them in the interview. Islam instructs that males and females who are
unmarried or belong to immediate families should be prevented and prohibited from being alone
and even in touching each other (Tackett et al., 2018). Therefore, one of the concerns of this
community is the potential intrusion that any healthcare providers can pose irrespective of their
genders but mainly with male gender. Hence, the nursing professionals can greet Muslim women
by putting their hands over their hearts in place of handshakes. Male providers should work with
a women chaperone while treating Muslim women in cases of emergency like breast and pelvic
exams. Healthcare organizations should try to allocate women professionals to Muslim women if
possible (delPino, 2017).
Disclosing sensitive information:
In the interview, the Muslim women disclosed discomfort about their in discussing about
their sexual information. It deemed devaluing or embarrassing to them. The research paper
revealed that Muslim women postpone sharing their information about gynecologic health till the
beginning of their marriage or pregnancy. In such a scenario, healthcare professionals should be
assuring the patient about the confidentiality of their meetings and discussions. They should also

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try to clarify the preferences to the patients regarding the topics that the patients are comfortable
to discuss (Tackett et al., 2018). Experts are of the opinion that sensitive issues like sexual or
menstrual history should be done only when absolutely necessary and if done, should be done by
female providers (Vu et al., 2016).
Importance of family in the caring process:
The interview revealed a lot of information about the role that family members play in
the patient care. One of the women revealed that women in her family are not allowed to interact
with the healthcare providers alone. There is always the necessity of the presence of a husband,
brother or father regarding discussions on treatments. Another women in the interview revealed
that her family prefers the healthcare professionals to discuss about the disorder with the family
before to the patient. This is done so that the members can conceal information which they think
might be sensitive to the patient (Tackett et al., 2018). Experts have found instances where
family members have been found to substitute the word cancer with that of infection and that of
the word chemotherapy with that of antidote while discussing health with their loved family
member (delPino, 2017). They believe that this aspect would help in protecting the psychological
well-being of the patients. However, researches have always shown that every patient themselves
want to relevant as well as proper information about their health and illness. Hence, professionals
are advised to speak with that of such female patients regarding their will and preferences to
include family members about different healthcare discussions. In different appropriate
situations, they can prefer speaking to the families before they deliver the critical news to the
patients. However, they might wish for highlighting the advantages associated with that of telling
patients about the diagnosis as well as to engaging them in the decision-making procedures
(Attum, Waheed & Shamoon, 2019.

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Maintaining religious practices during the times of ailments:
Most of the Muslim women who participated in the interview uttered that they remain
very concerned about the maintenance of their religious practices during medical treatments at
the healthcare centers. Many of the Muslim women prefer to continue their daily prayers even
during the times of their illness and accordingly, they require a neutral space for doing so. These
women in the interview exhibited their preferences for halal foods and its absence can act as a
barrier for care-seeking (delPino, 2017). One important example is their religious festival of
Ramadan. It becomes very important for the healthcare professionals to have a detailed idea
about the rituals followed by Muslims during this period. The research paper disclosed that
during the 30 days of the festival, Muslims abstain from drinks, foods, and abstain from having
sexual relationships during daylight hours. During such times, patients might have newer
questions about timing of medications like that of hypoglycemic agents and exercises. In such
timings, females are seen to seek for temporary form of birth control for avoiding menstruation
for participating in Ramadan (Vu et al., 2016).
A lot of issues might be faced by the healthcare professionals during Ramadan. It is
expected that Muslim women should be exempted from fasting alongside with conditions like
pregnancy, breastfeeding and menstruating women, elderly, children and those requiring
medication throughout the day. However in many situations, it has been found that patients in the
above categories still choose to fast. They believe in its health benefits and thereby they abstain
from taking their medications during the day despite the different types of potential health risks.
Such scenarios become very difficult for the healthcare professionals to tackle as they develop
ethical dilemma in maintaining autonomy of the patients and ensuring beneficence at the same
time. In such situations, the article advises that the professionals to respect commitments of the

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Muslim women’s in upholding the prescription for Ramadan (Tackett et al., 2018). They should
work with them in close association and customize their care that reduces health risks. This
might include proper hydration before that of sunrise and switch to more nocturnal schedule
which might prove to be helpful (Attum, Waheed & Shamoon, 2019).
Conclusion:
From the above discussion, a number of points have come up which can help the
healthcare professionals to develop more awareness regarding culturally competent care to
Muslim women. Healthcare professionals need to be extremely careful in their approach towards
treatment to Muslim women so that the latter do not feel stereotypes of discriminated because of
their cultural backgrounds. The professionals should be well aware of the physical appearances
like the apparels that they are comfortable with. They should also have the detailed idea about
the sensitivity they have regarding physical touches. Care should be also taken by them
regarding the religious beliefs that the Muslim women harbor so that there arises no situation of
patient dissatisfaction. Genders preferences and disclosure of sensitive information are two areas
which also needs to be well-researched and educated by the professionals to ensure high quality
care. Such culturally competent care services by the professionals can help in improving health
outcomes and quality of care and can thereby help by contributing to the elimination of racial as
well as ethnic health disparities in present day United States.

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References:
Attum, B., Waheed, A., & Shamoon, Z. (2019). Cultural competence in the care of Muslim
patients and their families.
del Pino, F. J. P. (2017). Nurses and Muslim patients: two perspectives on Islamic culture in the
hospital. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 237, 1131-1137.
Tackett, S., Young, J. H., Putman, S., Wiener, C., Deruggiero, K., & Bayram, J. D. (2018, July).
Barriers to healthcare among Muslim women: A narrative review of the literature.
In Women's Studies International Forum (Vol. 69, pp. 190-194). Pergamon.
Vu, M., Azmat, A., Radejko, T., & Padela, A. I. (2016). Predictors of delayed healthcare seeking
among American Muslim women. Journal of Women's Health, 25(6), 586-593.

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Appendix:
Article reviewed:
Tackett, S., Young, J. H., Putman, S., Wiener, C., Deruggiero, K., & Bayram, J. D. (2018, July).
Barriers to healthcare among Muslim women: A narrative review of the literature.
In Women's Studies International Forum (Vol. 69, pp. 190-194). Pergamon.