Introduction
The United States has always been a nation of immigrants, with people from all over the world coming to seek a better life. In recent years, however, there has been a significant influx of immigrants, particularly from Latin America and Asia. This has brought about a number of changes and challenges in global health and the role of the community nurse.
Main Body
The influx of immigrants has led to a significant shift in healthcare, requiring community nurses to deliver culturally competent care. Their duty is to provide care that considers patients’ cultural beliefs, values, and practices. This aspect involves understanding their language, customs, and traditions and ensuring that care is respectful and appropriate (Furtado & Ortega, 2023). For example, many immigrants from Latin America have a strong belief in traditional medicine and herbal remedies. Community nurses must be aware of these beliefs and open to incorporating them into care plans if appropriate. This aspect may involve working with traditional healers or providing education on the safe use of herbal remedies.
Similarly, many immigrants from Asia have different beliefs about health and illness. For example, in many Asian cultures, there is a strong belief in the balance of yin and yang, and illness is seen as a result of an imbalance in these forces. Community nurses must be aware of these beliefs and incorporate them into their care plans.
As healthcare providers, we recognize that the influx of immigrants has brought about challenges in terms of language barriers. For many immigrants, English is not their first language, which can make it difficult for them to access healthcare services (Furtado & Ortega, 2023). It is our responsibility to ensure that language barriers do not prevent our patients from receiving the care they need. This may involve providing interpretation services or working with translators to facilitate communication.
Additionally, the types of health issues that community nurses deal with have changed due to the influx of immigrants. Many immigrants come from countries with limited access to healthcare, which can lead to undiagnosed or untreated chronic conditions (Furtado & Ortega, 2023). Community nurses need to be prepared to identify and manage these conditions and provide education and support to help immigrants manage their health.
In terms of policy changes, there is no doubt that our current policies need to accommodate more new cultural perspectives. For example, our immigration policies need to be more flexible in allowing family members to join immigrants already in the United States. This aspect would help to ensure that immigrants have the support and resources they need to maintain their health (Turcotte & Savage, 2020). Similarly, healthcare policies need to be more inclusive and accessible to immigrants, providing interpretation services, ensuring that healthcare providers receive training in cultural competence, and addressing the social determinants of health that may impact the health of immigrants, such as poverty and discrimination.
Conclusion
To sum up, the arrival of immigrants has significantly impacted global health and community nurses’ responsibilities. This has emphasized the necessity for healthcare providers to be culturally aware and the significance of overcoming language barriers and making healthcare services accessible. To adequately meet the needs of immigrants, we must implement policies that are more accepting of different cultural viewpoints. This involves more adaptable immigration policies and more inclusive and available healthcare policies. By doing this, nurses can guarantee that all immigrants receive the assistance and resources necessary to maintain their health and overall wellness.
References
Furtado, D., & Ortega, F. (2023). Does immigration improve quality of care in nursing homes? Journal of Human Resources, 58(4). Web.
Turcotte, M., & Savage, K. (2020). The contribution of immigrants and population groups designated as visible minorities to nurse aide, orderly and patient service associate occupations. Web.