Culturally Competent Care – Understanding Korean Heritage in Nursing Practice
Understanding the Korean heritage is essential for providing culturally competent care as a nurse practitioner. Korean culture is deeply rooted in Confucianism, which emphasizes respect for elders, family hierarchy, and collective well-being over individualism. This cultural background significantly influences healthcare behaviors, communication styles, and patient expectations.
Family Involvement in Decision-Making
One key aspect of Korean culture is the high regard for family involvement in decision-making. Family members often play a central role in medical decisions, and it is common for patients to defer to their relatives’ opinions (Kim & Tak, 2021). As a nurse practitioner, it is crucial to engage with the family, respect their input, and involve them in the care plan to build trust and ensure adherence to treatment.
Integration of Traditional Medicine
Traditional Korean medicine, including practices like acupuncture and herbal remedies, is widely accepted and practiced alongside Western medicine. Patients may use these treatments concurrently or prefer them for certain conditions. Recognizing and respecting these practices while educating patients on the potential interactions with prescribed medications can foster a more open and collaborative patient-provider relationship (Leem et al., 2021).
Indirect Communication Styles
Communication in Korean culture tends to be indirect, with a strong emphasis on harmony and avoiding confrontation. Patients may hesitate to express pain or discomfort directly, fearing it might be perceived as disrespectful or burdensome. As a nurse practitioner, it is important to ask open-ended questions and observe non-verbal cues to accurately assess patients’ conditions (Jin et al., 2022).
Conclusion
These cultural aspects—family involvement, traditional medicine, and indirect communication—can influence the interpretation and treatment of Korean patients. Acknowledging and integrating these cultural elements into care practices can enhance patient satisfaction, adherence to treatment, and overall health outcomes, ensuring culturally sensitive and effective healthcare delivery.
References
Jin, B.-G., Kang, K., & Cho, H.-J. (2022). Korean nurses’ perception and performance on communication with physicians in clinical deterioration. Medicine, 101(38), e30570. https://doi.org/10.1097/md.0000000000030570
Kim, S., & Tak, S. H. (2021). Family members’ knowledge and attitude toward life-sustaining treatment decisions for patients in the intensive care unit. Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing, 23(3), 256–263. https://doi.org/10.1097/njh.0000000000000750
Leem, J., Kim, K.-I., Seo, J. H., Cheong, M. J., & Youn, I. (2021). Perception, attitude, and demand for Korean medicine and Western medicine collaborative treatment of medical occupational groups in Korea: A scoping review. Integrative Medicine Research, 10(1), 100430. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.imr.2020.100430
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Question 
Understanding the culture of your client is necessary when treating patients of cultures outside of your own.
Culturally Competent Care – Understanding Korean Heritage in Nursing Practice
For this assignment, you will self-assign to a Korean heritage/culture. Type a short essay explaining their culture and how you as a nurse practitioner would treat patients and Identify three aspects of that culture and how those things could affect your interpretation or treatment of that client.