Population-Based Nursing Care Plan Project.

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Evaluating Culture from the Nursing Perspective

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In the late 1980s, Poland had the highest smoking rate in the world. Yet following the collapse of communism, Poland launched a substantial public health initiative to lower smoking rates. The Center for Global Development (n.d.) claims that the Polish government put tobacco control measures in place, including raising tariffs on tobacco products, outlawing tobacco advertising, and encouraging smoking cessation programs. Campaigns for public health and youth-oriented educational initiatives helped to support these efforts. As a result, Poland's smoking prevalence dropped from 38% in 2009 to 30% in 2019. (Jassem et al., 2014).

Poland's cultural acceptance of smoking is complex, with various social and political factors contributing to its prevalence. According to Jassem et al. (2014), cigarette smoking was initially associated with the Polish intelligentsia and was seen as a symbol of personal freedom and intellectualism. This association with cultural values made it challenging to address smoking in Poland, and tobacco companies took advantage of this attitude to market their products.

As a nurse, it is crucial to recognize and overcome cultural biases to provide effective care. According to Stanhope & Lancaster (2020), cultural competency is being aware of the patient's cultural heritage and offering treatment that respects and addresses their needs. In order to avoid making assumptions about patients based on their cultural background, it is important to be aware of one's prejudices and stereotypes. It's crucial to continue learning and reflecting on oneself and collaborate with patients and their families to comprehend their preferences if one wants to overcome cultural biases.

Interacting with other cultural groups can be difficult. Therefore, it's important to approach every patient with an open mind and a desire to learn. Stereotyping can result from assumptions made about people based on cultural context. Understanding and respecting each patient's particular requirements and preferences should be the goal when using cultural knowledge rather than applying stereotypes.

Nursing practice and patient interactions can be strongly impacted by cultural knowledge. Stanhope & Lancaster (2020) assert that nurses can deliver better care by designing care plans that align with the patient's beliefs and values if they are aware of the patient's cultural background. Also, a thorough understanding of a patient's culture can assist nurses develop a connection with them that is crucial for successful communication and promoting good health outcomes.

In conclusion, Poland's significant public health campaign, which included tobacco control laws, educational programs, and public health campaigns, decreased the smoking rate in Poland. Many social and political elements contributed to Poland's complex cultural acceptance of smoking. To deliver effective care that fulfills the needs of all patients, nurses must be aware of and combat cultural biases. Nurses should collaborate with patients and their families to understand their needs and preferences since cultural knowledge can profoundly influence nursing practice and patient relations.

References

Center for Global Development. (n.d.). Case 14: Curbing tobacco use in Poland. Retrieved from https://www.cgdev.org/sites/default/files/archive/doc/millions/MS_case_14.pdf

Jassem, J., Przewozniak, K., & Zatonski, W. (2014). Tobacco control in Poland: Successes and challenges. Translational Lung Cancer Research, 3(5), 280–285. https://doi.org/10.3978/j.issn.2218-6751.2014.09.12

Stanhope, M., & Lancaster, J. (2020). Public health nursing: Population-centered health care in the community (10th ed.). Elsevier.