Question

Difficulty: HardCultural Awareness and Influences on Health

An Orthodox Jewish client is admitted to the medical-surgical unit on a Friday afternoon for management of an acute exacerbation of ulcerative colitis. Which actions by the practical nurse (PN) demonstrate culturally competent care? Select all that apply.

  1. Assign a same-sex unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) to assist the client with a bed bath.Answer
  2. Leave the plastic wrap intact on the client's kosher meal trays until the client opens them.Answer
  3. Bundle routine nursing tasks to minimize interruptions between Friday evening and Saturday evening.Answer
  4. D
    Serve a protein-rich meal consisting of baked beef and a glass of milk to promote tissue healing.
  5. E
    Question the client by asking, "Why do you insist on special meals when the hospital vegetarian diet is perfectly safe?"

Answer

The culturally competent actions are assigning a same-sex caregiver for hygiene, leaving the kosher meal wrap intact, and bundling routine tasks during the Sabbath.
Culturally competent care requires the practical nurse to integrate the client's religious and cultural beliefs into the care plan. For an Orthodox Jewish client, this involves respecting strict modesty norms by utilizing same-sex caregivers, ensuring dietary purity by keeping kosher meals sealed until they reach the client, and honoring the Sabbath (from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday) by consolidating non-urgent nursing tasks to minimize disruptions.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the cultural and religious needs specific to an Orthodox Jewish client.
Key needs include adherence to Kosher dietary laws, observance of the Sabbath (Shabbat), and strict modesty guidelines.
Recognizing specific cultural dimensions is the first step in planning individualized, culturally congruent care.
2
Evaluate each nursing intervention for alignment with Kosher dietary laws.
Serving meat and dairy together is prohibited, and specialized kosher meals must remain sealed until the client receives them to guarantee they remain kosher.
Dietary restrictions are a major component of Orthodox Jewish religious practice and require strict adherence by the healthcare team.
3
Assess the interventions related to communication, timing, and modesty.
Asking 'why' questions is non-therapeutic. Bundling care respects the Sabbath timing, and using same-sex caregivers respects modesty laws.
Therapeutic communication and respect for religious timing/modesty are essential standards in nursing practice.

Key Concept

Culturally competent care for Orthodox Jewish clients
Rate this question