The Muslim Experience in Western Healthcare

[Misty]

Greetings :statisfie

As a nursing student, I am taking a class labeled "Cultural Diversity in Healthcare". The main idea behind this class is to make healthcare in western society more accessible to people of different cultures, as it tends to be geared towards western people.

One of the major problems we see in the healthcare system is a lack of understanding of other cultures, and poor communication that results from it. Ultimately, the best thing would be to provide an environment where the patient is comfortable and feels respected. Of the many questions I might ask, I have a few that I think are important.

What would be the proper way for a woman to address a man, and vice versa?

In western culture, we use a handshake and make a lot of eye contact. Would that be appropriate with a muslim client? The rules for personal space can vary significantly from one culture to the next.

Has anyone had any experiences within the Western Healthcare system that they would like to discuss? Is there any way to make the experience of going to the doctor more comfortable?

I don't mean to be intrusive, but I would like to give my patients the most beneficial healthcare when I begin to practice nursing. I sincerely thank you for any input.

 

[HaMZaH393]

as for muslim(i mean doctors) in my opinion, when there's a patient who is apparently a woman, then, it's more appropriate for another woman doctor to address her and vice versa.

so, if a woman patient wants to feel comfortable, she should ask for a female doctor to examine her.

but, sometimes there's a situation when a man doctor can address a female patient such as when there's a shortage of female doctor or something like that.

my answer maybe not so helpful as i don't have much experience.

but maybe there are other people wants to discuss?

 

[Misty]

Every response is helpful. Thank you for taking the time to reply.

 

[dragonofzenshu]

Western healthcare is based on capitalism, which divides people into classes and one "higher" group based against a "lower" group.

The best way to improve Western healthcare would be to eliminate the class system, get rid of capitalism, and let the doctor and patient enjoy a fair, honest relationship in a socialized, egalitarian, free healthcare setting system where everyone can get healthcare and the doctor is on the same "level" or "group" as the patient and will treat them as an equal in treatment.

 

[جوري]

Doctors always take into account the patient background and desires on office visits..
How realistic is that outside of this? I can tell you virtually zero there is no room for that in critical care setting and likewise there is no chance for any level of attraction (if that worries you, then medicine by in large isn't for you.. it is very difficult for me to imagine someone doing medicine and breaching their oaths for more reasons than I care to list here .. you will touch people to save them.. you tube them, you ommaya reservoir them, you large bore IV them, you intubate, and dig and chisel into them.. and before all that you'll have dissected them!

People often speak of medicine in such a romantic way that I feel has nothing to do with the reality of things.. it isn't like the TV with mcdreamies and mcsteamies bedding the residents. You're lucky at all to have a couch to close your eyes for five minutes without your pager buzzing, and practically everyone who is on the floor from doctors to nurses to patients has an awful stench about them two hours into their work a day..

what makes it more comfortable for a patient at the doctor's office is an educated patient.. if you are coming in for a colonoscopy and you have a history Peutz–Jeghers syndrome or Familial adenomatous polyposis I would imagine you have bigger things on your mind than someone being so up your home territory.. however that being said there is something called the moon pants to maintain as much privacy as possible.. a patient can only know of said things if they educate themselves in advance.. but most people are concerned and very preoccupied with morbidity and mortality to be concerned with a handshake..


and Allah swt knows best

:wa:

 

[جوري]

Western healthcare is based on capitalism, which divides people into classes and one "higher" group based against a "lower" group.

The best way to improve Western healthcare would be to eliminate the class system, get rid of capitalism, and let the doctor and patient enjoy a fair, honest relationship in a socialized, egalitarian, free healthcare setting system where everyone can get healthcare and the doctor is on the same "level" or "group" as the patient and will treat them as an equal in treatment.

Greetings,

whereas I am with you that everyone is entitled to free health-care.. socializing it will only create more problems.. folks will have to settle for very basic bread/butter type medicine, and by that I mean if you have a condition as mentioned in my previous post, not only will you not be able to find out specifics, be diagnosed properly but you'll also miss out on appropriate treatment. socialized medicine runs along 'common things being common and rare things out of mind'

if you are a young woman presenting in with palpitation, sweating, you are likely under socialized medicine be diagnosed with a panic disorder, when you potentially could have a life threatening pheochromocytoma...

some food for thought.. medicine in the U.S doesn't turn down anyone especially if they are poor (in fact those most likely to suffer are the middle class) since those very poor and those very rich are well taken care of.... socialized medicine means many people will not get the attention they deserve for potentially very dangerous diseases!


all the best!

 

[Donia]

Peace be to you, Misty..

As far as a male doctor greeting a female Muslim patient, just a simple hello and what seems to be the problem would do.
No handshakes.
As far as you wanting to be a nurse, the only suggestion I have is if you have a Muslim female inpatient who wears the hijab, to knock before you enter her room if the situation allows for it.
Of course if it is an emergency... then common sense would apply.
Good of you to be so concerned masha'Allah.

 

[Misty]

Peace be to you, Misty..

As far as a male doctor greeting a female Muslim patient, just a simple hello and what seems to be the problem would do.
No handshakes.
As far as you wanting to be a nurse, the only suggestion I have is if you have a Muslim female inpatient who wears the hijab, to knock before you enter her room if the situation allows for it.
Of course if it is an emergency... then common sense would apply.
Good of you to be so concerned masha'Allah.

Thank you. I wouldn't have thought of that, although we are taught to always knock. It's a good thing to keep in mind.

 

[Misty]

Greetings,

whereas I am with you that everyone is entitled to free health-care.. socializing it will only create more problems.. folks will have to settle for very basic bread/butter type medicine, and by that I mean if you have a condition as mentioned in my previous post, not only will you not be able to find out specifics, be diagnosed properly but you'll also miss out on appropriate treatment. socialized medicine runs along 'common things being common and rare things out of mind'

if you are a young woman presenting in with palpitation, sweating, you are likely under socialized medicine be diagnosed with a panic disorder, when you potentially could have a life threatening pheochromocytoma...

some food for thought.. medicine in the U.S doesn't turn down anyone especially if they are poor (in fact those most likely to suffer are the middle class) since those very poor and those very rich are well taken care of.... socialized medicine means many people will not get the attention they deserve for potentially very dangerous diseases!


all the best!

Thank you. You obviously have experience in the field of medicine and I appreciate your honest style of speaking. My "Cultural Diversity in Healthcare" class does seem to go a bit far at times in the suggestions they make to us concerning bedside manner. I think the class can be useful for younger people who have had little cultural experience.

A more important topic I might look into concerning Muslim people might be genetic diseases or pandemics that have affected Muslim populations. I was just wondering if there were any common faux-pas I should avoid. I agree with you that in a place of medicine, medicine is the main concern.

 

[Misty]

Western healthcare is based on capitalism, which divides people into classes and one "higher" group based against a "lower" group

.

I agree. Western society in general is based on capitalism, and it only serves to increase the divide between the very rich and the very poor. In this country, The top 10% of families by wealth (assets) control 90% of the wealth, and that number is growing. I am very lucky in that my doctor and my son's doctor are both very down-to-earth and friendly.

The best way to improve Western healthcare would be to eliminate the class system, get rid of capitalism, and let the doctor and patient enjoy a fair, honest relationship in a socialized, egalitarian, free healthcare setting system where everyone can get healthcare and the doctor is on the same "level" or "group" as the patient and will treat them as an equal in treatment.

I understand what you're saying here. I think a lot of miscommunication can result from class division in the healthcare setting.

 

[جوري]

Thank you. You obviously have experience in the field of medicine and I appreciate your honest style of speaking. My "Cultural Diversity in Healthcare" class does seem to go a bit far at times in the suggestions they make to us concerning bedside manner. I think the class can be useful for younger people who have had little cultural experience.

My pleasure..

A more important topic I might look into concerning Muslim people might be genetic diseases or pandemics that have affected Muslim populations. I was just wondering if there were any common faux-pas I should avoid. I agree with you that in a place of medicine, medicine is the main concern.

One thing to keep in mind is that there is no prototypical Muslim.. you are likely to meet a Chinese Muslim as you are to meet a German one.. so perhaps the thing of concern isn't their islamicness per se as it is their culture.. obviously Muslim Arabs have different custom and traditions than an Indonesian Muslim or an American Muslim...

the things that are really biggies

1- be observant of their dress code and wishes.. and that is similar to Jews.. so whether they want a head cover as such

do offer it to them, one or two to make them most comfortable, offer moon pants for more invasive procedures (but don't assume that they will want it) if they ask for privacy make sure the team working is one they are comfortable with.
2- Dietary, again similar to Jews
3- sometimes patients don't want to know all that is wrong with them (this is usually a Job for the attending doctor) but it is best to ask in advance how much someone knows or wants to know of their condition.. middle easterners are notorious hearing how well they are doing by their doctor even if they have hours to live.. that is a cultural phenomenon.. they don't want to tell grandma that she has breast cancer or grandpa that he has prostate cancer, least of which in front of their family.. my own grandmother didn't know she was in CHF until the day she died..
4-making them comfortable when it comes to their religious observances
most hospitals (community and university) come equipped with a multi-denominational parish also someone for their spiritual needs so it is good to offer that if they request....

some diseases are more prevalent in some regions than others, but that is a clinical diagnosis.. Japanese people have more takayasu arteritis, Turks might have more behcet's disease, Jews might have more Hexosaminidase A Deficiency but so rarely that as the old medical adage goes.. 'common things are common and rare things are rare' no one should be labeled of anything and certainly in health-care creating stereotypes is the wrong place to start..

lastly treating anyone at all, shy or brazen, avoidant or talkative, belligerent or docile as you would any member of your family is an excellent rule.. as we certainly should treat others how we'd like to be treated especially when scared, diseased, and down..


all the best!

 

[JoshuaD]

Western healthcare is based on capitalism, which divides people into classes and one "higher" group based against a "lower" group.

The best way to improve Western healthcare would be to eliminate the class system, get rid of capitalism, and let the doctor and patient enjoy a fair, honest relationship in a socialized, egalitarian, free healthcare setting system where everyone can get healthcare and the doctor is on the same "level" or "group" as the patient and will treat them as an equal in treatment.

The "Western world" covers more than just the USA.^o) Nearly the whole of the "west" has some form of socilaised healthcare.

Including the following countries:

Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_health_care

Universal health care is implemented in all industrialized countries, with the exception of the United States. It is also provided in many developing countries.