Culturally Competent Care of Mexican-Americans

Course overview

The U.S. Census estimates that Mexican-Americans represent 17.8% of the U.S. population, with over 33.6 million Americans listed as being of Mexican descent. Mexican-Americans comprise 64.3% of all Latinos in the U.S. Mexican-Americans demonstrate wide diversity in health beliefs and practices. Understanding these beliefs and practices can guide a nurse to establish trust, increase patient satisfaction, and provide flexible care that meets patient and family needs (Drevdahl, 2018). Applying knowledge and expressing appreciation of diverse healthcare beliefs can help to create a therapeutic partnership that increases understanding of the patient worldview and formulate effective interventions.