Ethnic groups who share a common culture can be considered a subculture within a larger social system. A subculture refers to a group of individuals who have common characteristics and beliefs that are not common to all members of the larger cultural group. Examples of subcultures include legal and medical professions, religious organizations, etc. As nurses, we share our own subculture influenced by those we work with, our education, and our nursing experiences. It occurs in health care with an awareness on the part of caregivers that cultural factors are significant in health and illness.
Cultural sensitivity is prerequisite for personal, comprehensive nursing care.
1,p.39 The culturally sensitive nurse will assess, recognize, and seek to incorporate the patient's health care beliefs into the nursing care plan. Providing culturally sensitive care to our patients also requires that nurses assess and recognize our own health care beliefs and know the organizational culture in which we are providing care. Nurses are charged with advocating for patients, regardless of culture, and assisting them through the healthcare system in which they are receiving care. When individuals from differing cultural backgrounds meet, a cultural encounter occurs. It is not easy being sick, especially when the illness is cancer or a chronic disease.