Some of the most critical issues that the culture in Cherokee
experiences are the fact that their heritage is dying off with each passing of an
elder, as well as the atrocities that were carried out by the settlers that still shadow the community today. There are
still negative stigmas that go along with the Native people from others even in
neighboring counties. I understand that some people have grown up with that mindset
since they were young, but since I have been here, I have not been treated
differently by any one person in the community. I have held many small conversations
and greeted by most of those that I pass briefly. I noticed that some of the
most common conditions through my clinical experience were obesity, diabetes
and substance abuse. All the conditions noted above can be the result of genetics,
culture and deficient knowledge. Education is an important part of healthcare
and promoting optimal health. Although genetics does play a part in overall
health, education can reduce the chances of exacerbating these issues. The
nurse is the patient advocate and the educator and plays an important in the
overall health of the patient. The nurse is promoting healthcare and tries to
empower the patient through encouragement and education. The patient is the center
of the healthcare system here in Cherokee. The patient is the center of
healthcare at every hospital; however, I feel that some hospitals and healthcare
systems place more emphasis on this. The patient is the focus in this area,
with a bigger sight set on the community and their overall health. Community
health starts with each individual patient and their health. To achieve an
optimal community health, the nurse must educate the patients in proper health
practices and advocate for them.
I am glad that we have had the opportunity to interact with individuals who live right near this community and know little about it. It seems as if they haven't had an open mind to learn or continue to carry the closed minded thoughts their families have had through the years. Most likely this is based on a past negative experience in their own lives or families. It is another layer in the "sharing your story" considerations that everyone has one and it influences their behaviors and responses. Education is something that will help resolve many of these issues on multiple levels. Thank you for your insight.
ReplyDelete