Transcultural Assessment Developed by Tim Corbett RN, MA, LMHC

General Considerations assess your own personal beliefs assess your own personal beliefs set aside values, biases, judgmental attitudes that may affect nursing care set aside values, biases, judgmental attitudes that may affect nursing care assess communication variables from a cultural perspective assess communication variables from a cultural perspective modify communication approaches to meet cultural needs modify communication approaches to meet cultural needs

General Considerations communicate in a non threatening manner communicate in a non threatening manner conduct the interview in an unhurried manner-take your time conduct the interview in an unhurried manner-take your time follow acceptable social and cultural amenities follow acceptable social and cultural amenities be patient be patient use active listening skills use active listening skills validate information validate information

Specific Considerations speak distinctly and slowly but not loudly speak distinctly and slowly but not loudly use pictures, gestures, play acting to help the patient understand use pictures, gestures, play acting to help the patient understand repeat the message in different ways repeat the message in different ways keep messages simple keep messages simple repeat them frequently repeat them frequently avoid medical terms/abbreviations avoid medical terms/abbreviations

Guidelines For Using Interpreters allow more time for the interview if using an interpreter allow more time for the interview if using an interpreter consider the gender, ethnicity or dialect consider the gender, ethnicity or dialect of the interpreter of the interpreter pay attention to nonverbal communication pay attention to nonverbal communication look at the patient not the interpreter look at the patient not the interpreter speak in the first person speak in the first person

Explanatory Model Arthur Kleinman has developed an explanatory model for understanding a patients conception of his/her illness Arthur Kleinman has developed an explanatory model for understanding a patients conception of his/her illness there are eight key questions that a patient should attempt to answer there are eight key questions that a patient should attempt to answer

Explanatory Model 1.What do you call the problem? 2.What do you think has caused the problem? 3.Why do you think it started when it did 4.What do you think the sickness does? 5.How severe is the sickness? Will it have a short or long course? Will it have a short or long course?

Explanatory Model 6.What kind of treatment do you think you should receive? What are the most important results you hope to receive from this treatment? should receive? What are the most important results you hope to receive from this treatment? 7.What are the chief problems the sickness has caused? 8.What do you fear most about the sickness?