Chapter 07: Overview of Transcultural Nursing
Hinkle: Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-Surgical
Nursing, 13th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. In a small, rural hospital the nurse is caring for a patient who speaks a
language other than English. The nurse needs to use an interpreter to
communicate but the hospital does not have access to an interpreter who
speaks the patient's language. When choosing another individual to interpret
for this patient, what characteristic should the nurse prioritize?
A) Interpreter should recognize the need to speak in a loud voice.
B) Interpreter should be able to conduct the conversation quickly to avoid
misinterpretation.
C) Interpreter should be fluent in several dialects of the patient's language.
D) Interpreter should know that repetition must be avoided while interpreting.
ANS: C
Cultural needs should be considered when choosing an interpreter; for instance,
fluency in varied dialects is beneficial. In choosing an interpreter, you do not
want one who speaks in an excessively loud voice, conducts the conversation
too quickly, or avoids repetition.
2. You are a community health nurse who provides care to a group of Hispanic
people living in an area that is predominantly populated by Caucasian people.
How would you characterize the Hispanic people in this community?
A) An underclass
B) A subgroup
C) A minority
D) An exception
ANS: C
The term minority refers to a group of people whose physical and cultural
, characteristics differ from the majority of people in a society. There are four
generally identified minority groups: Blacks/African Americans, Hispanics,
Asian/Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans. Such groups are not referred to
as exceptions or underclasses. A subgroup is a division of a group that is in
some way distinguished from the larger group.
3. A nurse is caring for an elderly woman who predominantly identifies with an
East Asian culture. How can the nurse best demonstrate an awareness of
culturally congruent care?
A) Maintain eye contact at all times.
B) Try to speak the patient's native language.
C) Use touch when communicating.
D) Establish effective communication.
ANS: D
Establishment of an environment of culturally congruent care and respect begins
with effective communication, which occurs not only through words, but also
through body language and other cues, such as voice, tone, and loudness. Not all
cultures are comfortable with eye contact. Unless you are fluent in the patient's
native language, trying to communicate in that language would not be effective
communication. Not all cultures incorporate touch while communicating.
4. Most nurses have been taught to maintain direct eye contact when
communicating with patients. However, some cultural groups do not usually
value direct eye contact when communicating with the nurse. Which cultural
group would most likely consider the direct eye contact impolite?
A) African Americans
B) Hispanics
, C) Canadians
D) Native Americans
ANS: D
Eye contact is a culturally determined behavior. Although most nurses have
been taught to maintain eye contact when speaking with patients, some people
from certain cultural backgrounds may interpret this behavior differently. For
example, some Asians, Native Americans, Indo-Chinese, Arabs, and
Appalachians may consider direct eye contact impolite or aggressive, and they
may avert their own eyes when talking with nurses and others whom they
perceive to be in positions of authority.
5. An emergency department nurse is preparing to inspect and palpate the head
and scalp of an older adult who experienced a fall. A member of which group
would most likely consider this examination as a violation of norms?
A) Jewish
B) Asian American
C) Islamic
D) African American
ANS: B
For many Asian Americans, it is impolite to touch the patient's head because the
spirit is believed to reside in the head. Therefore, assessment of the head or
evaluation of a head injury requires permission of the patient, or a family
member if the patient is not able to give permission. This is not the case with the
other listed groups.
6. The nurse is helping a patient choose her menu options for the following day.
The nurse reads out the option of ham with scalloped potatoes and the patient
states that her religion does not allow this. Which of the following is most
likely the patient's religion?
A) Roman Catholicism
Hinkle: Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-Surgical
Nursing, 13th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. In a small, rural hospital the nurse is caring for a patient who speaks a
language other than English. The nurse needs to use an interpreter to
communicate but the hospital does not have access to an interpreter who
speaks the patient's language. When choosing another individual to interpret
for this patient, what characteristic should the nurse prioritize?
A) Interpreter should recognize the need to speak in a loud voice.
B) Interpreter should be able to conduct the conversation quickly to avoid
misinterpretation.
C) Interpreter should be fluent in several dialects of the patient's language.
D) Interpreter should know that repetition must be avoided while interpreting.
ANS: C
Cultural needs should be considered when choosing an interpreter; for instance,
fluency in varied dialects is beneficial. In choosing an interpreter, you do not
want one who speaks in an excessively loud voice, conducts the conversation
too quickly, or avoids repetition.
2. You are a community health nurse who provides care to a group of Hispanic
people living in an area that is predominantly populated by Caucasian people.
How would you characterize the Hispanic people in this community?
A) An underclass
B) A subgroup
C) A minority
D) An exception
ANS: C
The term minority refers to a group of people whose physical and cultural
, characteristics differ from the majority of people in a society. There are four
generally identified minority groups: Blacks/African Americans, Hispanics,
Asian/Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans. Such groups are not referred to
as exceptions or underclasses. A subgroup is a division of a group that is in
some way distinguished from the larger group.
3. A nurse is caring for an elderly woman who predominantly identifies with an
East Asian culture. How can the nurse best demonstrate an awareness of
culturally congruent care?
A) Maintain eye contact at all times.
B) Try to speak the patient's native language.
C) Use touch when communicating.
D) Establish effective communication.
ANS: D
Establishment of an environment of culturally congruent care and respect begins
with effective communication, which occurs not only through words, but also
through body language and other cues, such as voice, tone, and loudness. Not all
cultures are comfortable with eye contact. Unless you are fluent in the patient's
native language, trying to communicate in that language would not be effective
communication. Not all cultures incorporate touch while communicating.
4. Most nurses have been taught to maintain direct eye contact when
communicating with patients. However, some cultural groups do not usually
value direct eye contact when communicating with the nurse. Which cultural
group would most likely consider the direct eye contact impolite?
A) African Americans
B) Hispanics
, C) Canadians
D) Native Americans
ANS: D
Eye contact is a culturally determined behavior. Although most nurses have
been taught to maintain eye contact when speaking with patients, some people
from certain cultural backgrounds may interpret this behavior differently. For
example, some Asians, Native Americans, Indo-Chinese, Arabs, and
Appalachians may consider direct eye contact impolite or aggressive, and they
may avert their own eyes when talking with nurses and others whom they
perceive to be in positions of authority.
5. An emergency department nurse is preparing to inspect and palpate the head
and scalp of an older adult who experienced a fall. A member of which group
would most likely consider this examination as a violation of norms?
A) Jewish
B) Asian American
C) Islamic
D) African American
ANS: B
For many Asian Americans, it is impolite to touch the patient's head because the
spirit is believed to reside in the head. Therefore, assessment of the head or
evaluation of a head injury requires permission of the patient, or a family
member if the patient is not able to give permission. This is not the case with the
other listed groups.
6. The nurse is helping a patient choose her menu options for the following day.
The nurse reads out the option of ham with scalloped potatoes and the patient
states that her religion does not allow this. Which of the following is most
likely the patient's religion?
A) Roman Catholicism
