Nursing had been practice in the ancient civilization in all parts of the world The Asian civilization is very diverse and group of people have their own way of taking care of their health. Every country in Asia has different health practices that is being inherited and pass on to the generation. Each civilization has also unique culture that influences their health practices. Understanding of the Asian Civilization is important in field of nursing discipline because people in other parts of Asia have different perceptions of their health and how they takes care of their health and what measures they do to improve their health.
The importance of the study of civilization particularly Asia is that we will be able to understand the culture of the countries in the Asian region. Of course, culture is an important component of the patient’s lives that affect their health care attitudes and actions. Like for example in the Philippines, especially in the remote areas, people practice herbal medicines to treat their ailments and they prepare cocktail of drinks from herbs to make them strong and healthy. In other countries using herbal medicines are also practice but the preparation are different.
The nursing profession is changing to catch up with the advent of technology that has shape the health system. But with the new technology still a few people have been benefited. Nursing profession expands and reach out to the people in the remote areas in the country were help is needed. Every country in Asia must expand their services to the countryside and utilized their nurses to render their services in the community. Before a nurse must go to the community he/she must understand the culture of the people, the nurse must know their shared values, beliefs and norms that are used to help them function in life.
By doing this the nurse can now have the insight on what kind of people he/she be dealing with. Nursing profession is global in perspective and it is very high in demand. If Filipino nurse for example will look for a job in other countries especially in our neighbours in Asia he/she must understand their culture and their way of life before that nurse sets foot in the foreign soil. Changes have been made that included the study of Asian civilization in the nursing curriculum in the Philippines Also other countries have incorporated study of world civilization as well.
Nursing profession is global and that study and practice in nursing is focused upon differences and similarities among cultures with respect to human care, health, and illness based upon the people’s cultural values beliefs and practices, and to use this knowledge to provide specific nursing care to people. Developed countries in Asia, Japan for example are hiring Filipino nurses to work there. One of the factors that hinder the process of hiring Filipino nurses is language barrier.
In nursing schools, culture and Asian civilization are being taught to give the nursing students the idea and understanding of our neighbour’s culture. Still in order for a Filipino nurse to works in Japan he must learn how to speak their language so that the nurse can be effective in providing nursing care because communication is the first step in a nurse patient relationship. Furthermore the nurse will be trained to enhance his skills. This is important for the newly hired nurse so that he can adapt from change in working from a Philippine hospital setting to a high-tech hospital setting.
As a nurse giving nursing care to person of a race, religion, or culture different from your own, is quite a big challenge Respect for the patient, however, is something all aspect of nursing have in common We cannot give respect to our patient not unless we understand their culture and perception on health. Is it important that we know these culture. Even if we have no plans of going aboard to work, we can still take care of a foreign patient, and it is important to understand their culture so that the nurse can provide the care without violating norms and offending beliefs of a foreign patient.
The increasing ethnic diversity of our society and also in our Asian neighbours suggests a need for reflection on the cultural identity as part of development of nursing skills. Nurses use therapeutic relationship to response effectively to a patient in emotional distress. In order for the nurse to response effectively he must first reflect to his own experience to be able to understand the need of the patient. To illustrate a situation a Filipino nurse working in the Middle East is caring for a dying patient. Death as perceive in the Muslim world is different in the Philippines.
The nurse in order to provide comfort and care to the dying patient and family must understand their culture and perception of death. The nurse must reflect in his own understanding of death so that he will not offend the family’s belief and respect what the family wants during the crucial days of the dying member of the family. The study of Asian civilization provides nursing understanding of the influence of religion in the practice of health in other countries. The nurse caring a patient must consider his religion in the plan of care so that he cannot offend the patient.
For example a Muslim patient must be provided a special diet with no pork because it is forbidden to their religion. The nursing profession must evolved and adapt to changing time. A Filipino or foreign nurse working in the Middle East must adapt and consider their norms, beliefs and religion in the planning of care. Nursing profession in our Asian neighbours had evolved to effectively provide the needs of the people. The nursing discipline have been very vigilant to critical situation and developed necessary plan when the need arises.
In India, one of the populous country of the world experience an epidemic of severe diarrhea cause by a colliform batteria in the polluted Ganges River. The devotees consider the river sacred and they believe by drinking in the river their ailments will be relieved. It was a great challenge for the doctors and nurses on how to educate the people. The nurses are the frontrunners in giving education to the people and with the help of their government they developed a plan that will control the disease at the same time preserving the tradition. It was a great challenge.
The country in particular can learn from these occurrences that our Asian neighbours are experiencing. We can also learn from China’s program on population control and study them if we can apply it in our country. The political system adopted by our Asian neighbours also greatly influence the delivery of health care services. Asia is a very diverse continent, rich in culture and human life and human potential. It will be expected that the health care system in developed Asian countries must be modernized to be able to provide efficient service of care to the population while preserving the culture.
All Asian countries must cooperate in terms of technology, information, economy and especially in health services. These advancements will benefit the nursing profession in general. Nursing have been practice during the ancient times and is still continuing to evolved because as people aged, and new diseases threatened the human civilization in Asia, the nursing profession will be there to response and protect its precious resource the human life.