N511 Module 7: Discussion Question

N511 Module 7: Discussion Question:

Locate one scholarly article discussing the impact of culture on at least one pharmaceutical treatment. Summarize the article and apply it to current practice.

Your initial posting should be 200 to 300 words in length and utilize at least one scholarly source other than the textbook. Please reply to at least two classmates. Replies to classmates should be at least 100 words in length. To properly “thread” your discussion posting, please click on REPLY.

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When you are ready for the discussion, do the following:

1. Click on the discussion link above.
2. Start your answer by clicking “Start a New Thread” button with the title of your answer and the body of text following the guidance above.
3. To properly post your answer, please click on the “Post” button.
4. After posting your contribution, you must read what others have posted, reply to at least two of those posts, and respond (when appropriate) to those you have responded to you.

To reply to a classmate’s post:

1. Click on the title of another student’s post.
2. Click “Reply to Thread” and type your response to the student.
3. Click the “Post” button to post your reply.

Start by reading and following these instructions:

You are responsible for minimally at least 3 posts for each question in your discussion boards; your initial post and reply to two of your classmates. Your initial post(s) should be your response to the questions posed in the discussion question. You should research your answer and cite at least one scholarly source when appropriate, and always use quality writing.The discussion board is never a place to use text language or emoticons. You will also be asked to respond to your classmates. This is designed to enhance the academic discussion around the topic. It is all right to disagree with something posted by another, however your responses should always be thoughtful and respectful and reflect your opinions professionally.

N511 Module 7: Discussion Question

Impact of Culture in Pharmacy Practice

Cultural issues are important aspects of effective healthcare. Especially for pharmacists, cultural considerations must be taken into account when providing specific treatment to patients. By understanding different cultures, healthcare providers can understand how individuals make health care choices. An article in the American Journal of Pharmaceuticals explores how important cultural competency is in pharmacy practice and how to better bridge cultural gaps to improve practices.

Cultural Competence in Pharmacy Practice 

Pharmacists have a lot of responsibilities to the population that they serve. Pharmacists must understand how culture affects health care practices and choices including pharmaceutical treatment. Pharmacists utilize the pharmaceutical care model in order to define a desirable outcome of drug therapy as an improvement in the quality of life (Zweber, 2002). Health care decisions must involve the patient, physician, and pharmacist in the drug therapy choice. Not only are treatments affected by culture, but also culture defines what a good quality of life is as well. One culture that may affect medication administration is the Muslim culture. For example, patients who are fasting may not be able to antibiotics daily with food if they are fasting. Patients who are fasting and take medication that needs to be taken with food may experience adverse reactions such as nausea and vomiting resulting in a failure to complete the treatment (Zweber, 2002). In order to better serve this population, healthcare providers must incorporate patient factors such as cultural and personal preferences on health care decisions.

In the article, an importance is placed on how different illnesses are prevalent in different cultures. Although healthcare providers must treat all people as individuals, generalizing which illnesses are more prevalent in which cultures allows for healthcare professionals to understand existing disparities and ways to overcome them (Zweber, 2002). Pharmacists in particular generalize the health of specific cultures in order to better understand what changes are needed within the community in order to improve health, how to overcome communication barriers, and what other health care issues and practices need to be including when developing a care plan for an individual (Zweber, 2002). In order to bridge the gap between cultures and treatment, it is important for health care providers to educate themselves and recognize differences.

Education

In order for healthcare providers to be culturally competent, they must be educated on the knowledge, attitude, and skills of the patients. Healthcare providers must be able to recognize differences, identify similar patterns of responses, avoid stereotyping by acknowledging variations, and balance his or her own caring actions by recognizing differences and avoiding stereotypes (Zweber, 2002). The most important way to bridge gaps between provider and patient is building knowledge about the cultures that are served within the community. It is also important to understand family and social structures of the patients. Communication should be open with patients and healthcare providers must also be open to learning. Not only should healthcare providers understand their patient’s cultural beliefs, but they must also understand and recognize how their culture affects the care that they provide. Recognizing cultural components of health care decision making, and reserving judgment, will allow providers to incorporate these factors into patient specific care plan and allow them to be sincere and respectful in the discussion about the patients health perception (Zweber, 2002). This allows for better trust between healthcare provider and patient therefore allowing for better and more effective treatment.

Conclusion

In conclusion, in order to better serve patients, the healthcare team must examine cultural differences as well as the cultural differences they may also have. By understanding cultures, healthcare providers can better tailor treatment plans for patients allowing for more cooperation, trust, and open communication with their patients. Although each patient should be treated as an individual, by generalizing patients and the diseases that may affect the different races, providers can better treat groups of patients who share similar practices. In order to better bridge the gap between healthcare professionals and patient culture, one must be open to learning about culture but must also examine their culture and how this affects the care that is given. Culture affects all treatment and care for patients and providers and it is important to consider cultural differences when creating a treatment plan.

N511 Module 7: Discussion Question References

Zweber, A. (2002). Cultural competence in pharmacy practice. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 66. Retrieved from http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.456.238&rep=rep1&type=pdf