The nurses role as a cultural broker Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The nurses role as a cultural broker - Essay Example Nurses as cultural brokers had a role to build an understanding of the cultural factors and awareness of the different communities they serve and of the many ways in which such factors influence communities and the community members. It is not a must for a Cultural Broker to be a member of a particular cultural background or community. However, it was a requirement for them to have a history and experience with different cultural groups for which they serve as brokers. They needed to respect and trust the community they are working for, have knowledge of the community’s values, beliefs, and health practices of different cultural groups. It is equally important for them to have a clear understanding of the traditional and indigenous wellness and healing networks of that particular community for them to be effective middlemen. Nurses as cultural brokers ensure that individuals’ values customs and spiritual beliefs of an individual are respected accordingly. The nurses also ensure an individual receives information that is accurate, sufficient and culturally appropriate manner on which to base consent for care and treatment. The final role was to navigate the health care delivery and the community’s supportive systems (Parker, 2001).