Why might the woman be upset with the nurse for calling her baby adorable? 

1. It is possible that the Mexican-American woman was upset by the nurse’s praise of her child. In some cultures it is thought that saying something positive about a child could bring evil spirits to their attention and cause them to fall ill, or have bad luck. (DeJesus 2018).

Reference: DeJesus, M. (2018). Understanding cultural beliefs about health and illness: Cultural traditions Medsurg Nursing. 27(6). 373-377.

2. It is important to consider the Vietnamese woman’s level of discomfort and personal preferences when deciding whether to prescribe pain medicine. It does not matter that she doesn’t express her pain, because different cultures use different methods to communicate pain. It is important to assess the patient’s pain level and offer pain relief options that are culturally appropriate and consistent with her wishes (Liu, 2020).

Reference: Liu, J. (2020). Pain management and assessment in various cultures. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners. 16(1). 9-12.

3. The Iranian patient may have become upset with the nurse because she violated the patient’s personal space by trying to help her up without asking for permission. Personal space can be highly valued in some cultures. Helping or touching someone without asking permission may not be considered appropriate (Campinha Bacote 2011).

Reference: Campinha-Bacote, J. (2011). Cultural competence plays a role in delivering patient-centered care despite a culture conflict. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing. 16(2).

4. The African-American patient may have reacted differently to the European-American nurse because the use of the word “boy” may have been interpreted as disrespectful, offensive, and racist. In some cultures, the term “boy” is used as a form of racial discrimination against African-American men (Mosby’s Medical Dictionary, 2009).

Reference: Mosby’s Medical Dictionary. (2009). Boy. Retrieved from https://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/boy

5. Instead of using an interpreter, the nurse could communicate directly with the woman who is deaf. To improve communication, the nurse could use visual aids like pictures or written instructions. She should also face her patient to make it easier to read lips. Involving the patient is key to a successful conversation.

National Association of the Deaf. (n.d.). Considerations for health care communication with deaf people Downloaded from https://www.nad.org/resources/health-care-communication-considerations-for-deaf-patients/