Introduction
Cultural communication is an essential part of nursing nowadays. Patients are becoming more heterogeneous with the varied cultural populace, and thus nurses should adapt to this changing population with the aim of providing culturally proficient care. Researching and getting knowledge on culture is vital for a holistic evaluation of a person, family, or society. The progression of evaluation has to be all-inclusive, perfect, organized, and constant to permit health care providers to arrive at sound decisions and arrange for suitable involvements. In case health caregivers do not comprehend the cultural beliefs of patients, the patients might consequently obtain poor quality care that could force them to discredit the healthcare system (Holland & Hogg, 2010). A trusting association and rapport are necessary to make sure that clients will go again for care when required and that they do not ignore any health problems due to a past terrible occurrence in the healthcare system. Consequently, according to Holland and Hogg (2010), it is vital for nurses to note care plans that correspond to a person’s cultural and spiritual necessities to give holistic care to a person. This paper discusses Haitian culture while using Purnell’s Domains of Culture as a guide.
Cultural ancestry lingua franca
Haiti is my cultural ancestry and it is a tropical state. French is the lingua franca in Haiti and in this regard, there are not many communication difficulties encountered by French Canadians. Nevertheless, currently, more and more individuals speak English and the golden decree is to speak respectfully in the most natural manner possible, whether to a friend, family member, stranger, or healthcare provider (Etienne & Pavlovic-Danis, 2013).
Willingness to share information and ideas
Building relationships with Haitians is the best way to get in touch with them and arouse their willingness to share ideas, information, and feelings (Purnell & Paulanka, 2003). By creating elements of trust as well as friendship when dealing with Haitians, one can easily share contemplations and notions. The need to “alter things” particularly to a stranger is often hard to manage.
Taboo
Voodoo is widely practiced in Haitian culture. Voodoo signifies a blend of beliefs from both Haiti and Africa and has an intricate cosmology constituted of a huge amount of supernatural spirits, which presumably have great authority on individuals, and thus they have to be respected. Every homestead in Haiti connects with spirits (called lwa), which influence everyday life, as people have to please the spirits. In voodoo, the spirits seemingly make their existence acknowledged in dreams. Additionally, the spirits convey their message by making use of certain individuals to pass the message. Frequently, lwa will request a mother to offer an unborn or a newborn kid to them and if the request is not fulfilled, the lwa could perhaps chastise the mother or child by bringing them a disability (Purnell & Paulanka, 2003). In general, all disabilities presumptively have foundations in the dealings of both the natural and supernatural worlds instead of being a medical concern. Many Haitians, mainly in the US, do not like appearing as worshipers of voodoo. Nonetheless, the practice widely continues in Haiti and in the US in general.
The practice and implication of touch
When in informal circumstances, for instance with family members and friends, the touch admitted includes kissing or embracing (Holland & Hogg, 2010). When in official conditions (for instance, with health-care givers), a handshake is preferred as a greeting in the Haitian culture. Moreover, gender is vital when it comes to touch. In this regard, even acquaintances cannot generally embrace or kiss their friends of the opposite sex.
Personal spatial and distancing policies are applied when communicating with others
Haitians necessitate lesser personal space as compared to the Americans, so they might position themselves near to each other while communicating particularly to friends and family members (Holland & Hogg, 2010). Nonetheless, while chatting with people in power or with strangers, the Haitian culture calls for one to keep distance since failure to keep a considerable distance could be misinterpreted. Exemptions for keeping this distance occur in cases where one individual is in a taxi or a public vehicle. Humor, as well as laughter, is widely accepted in Haitian culture. The application of jokes or smiles as circumstances allow is highly regarded when chatting with strangers as it appears to persuade people to assist.
Eye contact, gestures, and facial expressions
In the Haitian culture, “eye contact makes communication friendlier and gestures strengthen it, particularly if you are seeking to understand where you are or locate a place or when meeting somebody for the first time” (Purnell, 2002, p.195). The Haitian culture disregards people that are arrogant or excessively reserved (Purnell, 2002). In Haiti, direct eye contact along with an active voice tone is employed when communicating to friends, family members, or strangers. Direct eye contact implies confidence, reverence, and attention to what the other individual is saying. In this context, looking away might imply being suspicious, deceitful, and unreliable in most circumstances. Direct eye contact is typically avoided when communicating with people of different age groups, informal situations (for instance, with healthcare providers or individuals in positions of authority), and with individuals of an upper socioeconomic class. In this context, indirect eye contact appears as a demonstration of respect and courtesy whereas direct eye contact might signify that a person is unreliable or aggressive.
The Haitian culture employs gestures comprising of head nod (to mean ‘yes’), head shake (to mean ‘no’), hand movements, and facial expressions. Thumbs up signify ‘excellent job’ or ‘yes.’ In Haitian culture, a simultaneous smile and nod disclose that a party did not comprehend what was said (Purnell, 2002). Additionally, particular emotional states like sadness or happiness are articulated through a frown or a smile correspondingly.
Acceptable ways of standing and greeting people
Greeting people is very essential in Haiti. Conventionally, the individual getting into a room or meeting a crowd is supposed to greet people in accordance with the time of day. Both men and strangers typically greet with just a handshake whereas women often kiss same-sex elders and friends on one cheek (Zéphir, 2011). It is anticipated that one will suitably reply to all greetings passed by anyone. Giving a kiss in addition to an upper-body hug is at times applicable to two women, a man and a woman, and at times two men who are related (for example, father and son).
Prevailing temporal relation
With rising poverty, variation, and deficiency of opportunity, Haitians are not likely to regard the future with optimism. Therefore, the discernment is that Haiti is not under a temporal transitory state (Purnell, 2000). The Haitian culture suffers a permanent state that can only improve by following a prolonged phase of foreign involvement. With respect to the worldview of culture and resembling deprived cultures, the Haitian culture is adjusted in the present. In this regard, being late to appointments is not a sign of discourteousness.
Impact on health care system
Haitians are extremely confidential and modest, which calls for necessary procedures where undressing is paramount in order to avoid hindering the provision of proper health care. An individual could undress just the area that necessitates medical attention to ensure easier acceptance. Given that many Haitians follow voodoo, it significantly affects the health care of the population because some illnesses and disabilities are attributed to either natural or supernatural causes (Holland & Hogg, 2010). In this regard, some patients do not go for health care when it is so needed, which leads to complications of medical problems and at times it results in the death of patients. According to Haitian culture, many expectant girls and women ignore prenatal care merely because pregnancy is not a form of sickness. This aspect could result in problems for both the mother and the unborn child. Additionally, depressed persons do not easily confess it due to the fear of the stigmatization that is permitted by their culture. As a result, proper health care may not be given.
Conclusion
At present, cultural communication is very important in nursing since in case health caregivers do not appropriately comprehend the cultural beliefs of patients, the patients could consequently obtain poor quality care, which could force them to lose faith in the healthcare system. According to Haitian culture, when in informal circumstances, the touch admitted includes kissing or embracing. On the other hand, When in official conditions (for instance, with health-care givers), a handshake is preferred as a greeting in Haitian culture. Haiti is widely known for voodoo, which significantly affects the health care of the population for some illnesses and disabilities are attributed to either natural or supernatural basis in voodoo. Making Haitians willing to share ideas, information, and feelings as well as giving them counseling may assist in overcoming some barriers to effective health care caused by beliefs enshrined in the Haitian culture.
References
Etienne, M., & Pavlovic-Danis, S. (2013). Cultural Considerations for Haitian Patients. Web.
Holland, K., & Hogg, C. (2010). Cultural awareness in nursing and health care: An introductory text. London, UK: Hodder Arnold.
Purnell, L. (2000). A description of the Purnell model for cultural competence. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 11(1), 40-46.
Purnell, L. (2002). The Purnell model for cultural competence. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 13(3), 193-196.
Purnell, L., & Paulanka, B. J. (2003). Transcultural health care. Philadelphia, PA: F. A. Davis Company.
Zéphir, F. (2011). Haiti rising: Haitian history, culture, and the earthquake of 2010. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 34(10), 1772-1774.