Week 10: Health Literacy

Health Literacy:

The World Health Organisation states that, "Health Literacy is the cognitive and social skills which determine the motivation and ability of individuals to gain access to, understand and use information in ways which promote and maintain good health". From this statement my knowledge and understanding of health literacy is that people who are health literate are gaining an understanding of more concepts regarding their health. This may include seeking health care information, making appointments, decision making, communication and is able to address the environmental, political and social factors that determine health. I believe that being health literate is extremely beneficial for those individuals suffering from chronic illnesses or even the acute medical issues. I feel that health literacy is something you learn over-time when dealing with the health sector. 

The social determinants of health impact each individuals health outcomes differently. From previous readings I have determined that the social determinants are responsible for health inequities, which are often unavoidable differences. These include education, employment, culture, language, age, gender, occupation, class and ethnicity. From my understanding an individuals health literacy level is linked to various social determinants of health. For example families that have migrated to Australia have a different background of culture, language, education and ethnicity. This therefore effects their level of health literacy indicating a low understanding, which is a predictor of a person's health status (Center for Culture, Ethnicity and Health, n.d.). 

Populations at risk of low health literacy are older adults, racial and ethnic minorities, people with less than a high school degree, people with low income levels, non-native English speakers and people with compromised health status. As a result, we will find that these categories of people will be more likely to present in the emergency department, higher risk of death and hospitalizations. I believe that to improve my role as a registered nurse I should be educating individuals or groups of the importance of health literacy. With my knowledge of the topic I will  be aware of the populations at risk of low health literacy levels and spend more time educating them. Being an influential role model to the community will also help myself as a registered nurse as I will be interacting with people of all health literacy levels. I believe that this will be beneficial for myself as I will be able to form a deeper understanding of the topic. 

References:

World Health Organisation. (2016). Health Literacy and Health Behaviour. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/healthpromotion/conferences/7gchp/track2/en/

Center for Culture, Ethnicity and Health. (n.d.). Social Determinants of Health and Health Literacy. Retrieved from http://www.ceh.org.au/downloads/Health_Literacy_Info_Sheets/Health_Literacy_9_social_determinants.pdf

Week 9: Equity and Diversity in the Workplace

Equity and Diversity in the Workplace

Working within the Australian workforce reflects the diversity and multiculturalism that defines our country. We are often working alongside people from a different culture but from my understanding diversity in the workplace can mean much more than culture. Diversity can include having employees from different ages, gender, ethnicity, physical ability, sexual orientation, religious belief, work experience, educational background any much more. Often within diversity, we happen to notice discrimination and inequality. Equity in healthcare relates to the opportunity of equal and fair access for all human-beings, regardless of the social, economical, demo-graphical or geographical influences (World Health Organisation, 2016). Often we find that our colleagues are being treated unfairly due to diversity. 

The  nursing profession is dominated by females, with women comprising of  90.1% of employed nurses and midwives (CQUniversity, 2015). With a large portion being female, male nurses are often stereotyped to be homosexual. I believe the effects of sexism and misconceptions on male nurses is unfair and can potentially ruin careers. Male nurses are discriminated and wrongly accused of being homosexual and sexual harassment reports. These accusations are a prime example of how diversity in the workplace can display inequality. 

I believe this weeks topic has made me aware of the different attributes that equity and diversity can bring to the workplace. I have learnt that there may be difficulties when working with different ethnic backgrounds, due to language barriers and different approaches and methods to treating patients. I have also identified the importance of diversity, such as valuing the range of skill sets that can be brought together as one, the level of experience others may bring and educating others in the workplace with different knowledge. 

I believe that working within a diverse environment can benefit my practice as a registered nurse as I believe I would be more open to different situations that diversity may influence. I believe I would work well with the different attributes of groups and the variety that is offered. As a registered nurse I believe I would model the behavior of acceptance and value of all staff. I am a strong believer of team work and I will model those beliefs throughout my career of nursing. 

References:

World Health Organisation. (2016). Health System. Equity. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/healthsystems/topics/equity/en/

CQUniversity Australia. (2015). NHLT12002- Inclusive Practice: Study Guide. Rockhampton, QLD.

Week 8: Cultural Competence & Care in the Community

Cultural Competence & Care in the Community

When working within the community environment, encountering different cultures will have an impact on the nurses approach towards the clients. For example when working in a rural aboriginal community, predominantly the nurse will be working with indigenous clients. I believe it is important to gain a solid understanding of the cultural health practices and beliefs of your local community and the members before reflecting individual healthcare values onto others. It is also important to recognize there may be challenges in developing a trusting and reciprocal relationship with community members. I believe it is important to engage with the community and develop a relationship outside of work, to be able to gain an insight on the cultural expectations in healthcare. 

When working within diverse communities it is common to notice barriers that affect individuals access to healthcare. It is common to see poorer health outcomes for people using illicit drugs and alcohol and homeless people and youth. Personally reflecting on a report written by Vicki-Ann Ware (2013), I can conclude that the four main barriers found in indigenous communities are availability, affordability, appropriateness and acceptability. I believe that these barriers are the main reason why individuals from indigenous communities do not access healthcare. I believe that barriers may vary between different communities but will always link back to availability, affordability, appropriateness and acceptability. 

Childhood immunisation is an issue that some parents may not agree with, this is known as conscientious objection of immunisation. Personally I believe that childhood immunisation is a necessary responsibility that all parents must be aware of and most importantly follow through. Strategies that can be incorporated to promote childhood immunisation are ensuring that all people have access to the vaccination, promote the importance of immunisation throughout social media and parenting groups, the use of pamphlets and flyers within doctor surgeries, hospitals, schools, child care and regular checkups (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). The effects of not immunising children leads to a higher risk for yourself and child, potentially catching a preventable disease or illness. Fighting these diseases can take a great deal of time, mandatory isolation, money, and pain.

Nurses entering the specialty of community nursing must highlight not only their clinical skills, but also their critical thinking, advocacy, and analytical abilities. Communities are dynamic, and nurses must adapt to be able to provide patients with whatever care they need. I have lived rural my whole life and have faced the difficulties of accessing healthcare on numerous occasions. Travel is one of the biggest issues we have to face when accessing healthcare as well as the travel expenses. We frequently travelling to Brisbane for specialist care and have considered moving in order to be closes to health facilities. Health professionals also face the challenge of working in rural based locations. From my understanding the health professional may feel very isolated, stressed or burnout due to lack of medical professionals, demands of time, and the diversity of skill level. Living rural has an impact on all, and it is important to understand the hardships one may be facing. 

References:

Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). Immunisation Strategies for Healthcare Practices and Providers. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/downloads/strat.pdf

Ware, V., (2013). Australian Government Institute of Health and Welfare. Closing the Gap. Retrieved from http://www.aihw.gov.au/uploadedFiles/ClosingTheGap/Content/Publications/2013/ctgc-rs27.pdf

Week 7: Multiculturalism and Health

                     Multiculturalism and Health                         

This week I will be blogging about my interpretation and understanding of multiculturalism and health and reflect on how I believe this topic will help my future as a registered nurse. 

Working within the health care sector allows individuals to experience first hand the cultural diversity that is seen world wide. My understanding of multiculturalism is a term used to describe the ethnic and diversity of cultures that create our nation. From my understanding all cultures have different perspectives on the process of health beliefs to explain what causes illness, how it can be cured or treated, and who should be involved in the process. Reflecting on some different culture perspectives, I can determine that each ethnic group brings its own perspectives and values to the health care system, and many health care beliefs and health practices differ from the traditional health care culture of Australia. 

Many individuals or families seeking migration are classified as a planned migration or forced migration. A planned migration is a voluntary move to seek a better life, whereas a forced migration is due to internal homeland conflict. When migrating countries many individuals face culture barriers that can impact daily living as well as access to health care services. Common barriers that the migrant population may face are; language barriers, culture practices, difficulty in assimilation, low level health literacy and family separation such as the waiting list (World Health Organisation, 2016). 

Viewing the interview of Mercy was an eye opener to the considerations that must be taken when working with individuals from different ethnic backgrounds. She was able to identify how the barriers can be difficult to overcome for them and the health care team. Mercy was a strong believer in the importance of communication and negotiation between each other. I personally, strongly agree with Mercy's opinion as I believe communication builds a therapeutic relationship. The topic of multiculturalism and health has shaped my values around nursing in the sense of being considerate of other people's circumstance. It is also important to remember that each individuals experience with migration is different, and as a health care professional we cannot always imagine what they have been through emotional, physically or mentally. 

References: 

World Health Organisation. (2016). Overcoming Migrants Barriers to Health. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/86/8/08-020808/en/

Week 6- Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Complementary and Alternative Medicine

In this weeks assessment topic, I have learnt about the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in the practice of health care and how it can be associated throughout individuals lifestyles. In my reflective blog, I will use the Gibbs' Reflective Cycle as a guideline.

My understanding of alternative medicine is that it is aimed at treating and preventing different conditions with techniques that may seem different compared to everyday primary health care. A few examples of CAM include acupuncture, cupping, herbal medicine, chiropractic, massage, energy therapies, Chinese, traditional and many more. 

I believe that many individuals are skeptical about these therapies, due to a wide-set of the population relying on traditional western medicine. According to Ventola (2010), a lack of evidence-based information about efficacy, safety, and drug interactions with CAM therapies, as well as a lack of formal training, is thought to be responsible for this deficit. Due to personal experience with trialing different alternative therapies, I believe that they are very helpful with the management of pain. I also believe that people's opinions of CAM is influenced by social, cultural, economic, and personally factors.

My experience with this form of medicine has been positive and a practice my family and I have used for many years. Considering all members of my immediate family, my father has a different opinion on CAM and believes that these therapies do not work. From assessing my fathers reaction I believe his opinion was different due to his personal experience. Throughout his whole life he has never experienced alternative medicine, therefore has a different opinion. Throughout my future nursing career I believe that CAM therapy has positively influenced my thoughts surrounding treatment and prevention options. In my career I believe that I will encourage and educate patients on the benefits of alternative therapy and hopefully be able to make in difference in individuals lives.

Watching the interactive video lesson about cultural sensitivity nursing care was a huge eye-opener for myself. Being able to identify the individuals needs based on their cultural background was an important lesson I have learnt from that particular video. I believe this video has shaped my future as a nurse by understanding the importance of education surrounding culture and how to address certain situations.  

References: 

Ventola, C. (2010). Current Issues Regarding Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in the United States. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2935644/