Week Seven Online Challenge

This week's online challenge is more of an assignment. We haven't assigned much reading this week in the hope that you'll be able to read a little bit on line.

Visit ethnomed.org and read about one of the four following ethnic groups: Karen, Hmong, Somali, and Oromo. Choose a group you're not familiar with. Think about how family structure or culture-specific health issues might influence your interaction with such a patient. What would be different about your ED interaction with a patient from one of these groups? What additional resources would you need? Would your approach to care differ? If you can't think of a reply that is specific to the ED, post an interesting fact from what you read to educate the rest of us about a new culture.

Also, if you are not familiar with The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, by Anne Fadiman, here is a case (set in the ER) from that book that you will benefit from reading. (Click HERE!)

Finally, if you have time for some additional reading, consider following links to two other articles I found interesting during my own preparation for this week.

Conceptions of Pain Among Somali Women. Finnström B, Söderhamn O. J Adv Nurs. 2006 May;54(4):418-25.

Principlism vs. Narrative Ethics. McCarthy J. Med Humanit. 2003 Dec;29(2):65-71.