The cultural aspect of China that stood out for me is the belief that the body’s vital energy flows along channels that keep individuals’ emotional, psychological and physical health balanced. That notion is related to acupuncture offering clinical services to the Chinese. Acupuncture stimulates the central nervous system that releases natural chemicals into the brain and other body parts, hence relieving someone from a disease (Dorsher, 2020). The idea that a thin needle must be inserted into the human body through the skin as one way of introducing healing is a sensation for me (García-Escamilla & Rodríguez-Martín, 2017). The scientific review of Chinese culture is contentious primarily due to the justification to convince someone of the efficacy.
Chinese cultural adherence can affect the ability to provide care and communication. The reason is that most people in China rely on traditional medicine due to its popularization from intellectuals and civilized minds. As a result, hospice care has been a problem in China since many people wish to remain at home when suffering from chronic diseases (García-Escamilla & Rodríguez-Martín, 2017). The challenge, in this case, would be to convince a Chinese with the native idea that acupuncture is the medical attention required for all bodily complications. It is important to note that the Chinese believe that most illnesses are caused by an imbalance of vital force called qi. Furthermore, this country believes that mental illness results from a lack of harmony caused by evil spirits (Dorsher, 2020). Thus, under these cultural ties, care provision for the specific group would be affected adversely. There is a need to impose changes influenced by modern science instead of traditional perspectives.
As a healthcare assistant (HCA), the biggest communication barrier would be the colloquial language used to deliver medical problems. This may be because most Chinese may be reluctant to use medical reasoning based on western medicine (Pan, 2019). The challenge comes because the root cause of the problem must be established, a possible course of action, and the potential outcome of the matter. The Chinese are known to be smart logically, but their allegiance towards traditional medicine outweighs the moderate application of medical paraphernalia in their culture. Hence, the barrier would be evident when dealing with the Chinese.
I would feel overwhelmed if I was to care for a Chinese national with these beliefs. The experience appears difficult for me because I have been trained to offer my services to all people but under Western civilization. Adapting to the new style of delivering clinical services to such a patient requires strong and logical perseverance in professional conduct. To meet their needs, I would have to pay attention to their requests and combine them with my knowledge and expertise power (Dorsher, 2020). The collaborative energy between the two elements would make it possible to care for a Chinese patient. Such exposure prepares an HCA to face many similar incidents, which may help one grow their career and learn through working in healthcare firms.
The Chinese government has an elderly and disability care policy based on the 90/7/2 formula. It means more than 90% of the seniors stay at home while 7% are at intermediate facilities while the remaining portion is at nursing homes (Pan, 2019). In Canada, many older people and the disabled are protected by the policy under services for the elderly and people with disabilities. Therefore, in these two countries, these groups are taken care of by the government significantly.
References
Dorsher, P. (2020). Acupuncture as neuromodulation: How it can explain ancient and modern acupuncture paradoxes. Chinesische Medizin / Chinese Medicine, 35(4), 212-224.
García-Escamilla, E., & Rodríguez-Martín, B. (2017). What can acupuncture bring to Western medicine? The perspective of health professionals also trained in traditional Chinese medicine-based acupuncture. European Journal of Integrative Medicine, 12(9), 108-116.
Pan, H. (2019). Response to spousal death according to faith in traditional Chinese culture among older Chinese: Moderation by occupation. Health & Social Care in the Community, 5(4), 7-9.