Faith, Culture, & Heritage Self-Assessment Tool

Faith and Religion

I was born and raised in a Christian family. Both my parents and siblings are Christians, and I still practice the religion now. The faith has helped me to reconcile with a higher power and identify with a deeper version of myself. I believe there is a direct connection between religion and mental health, as believers have a better insight of how to deal with life challenges. The Christian faith teachers values such as happiness and life satisfaction, purpose and meaning in life,  greater social support, hope and optimism, higher self-esteem, and better adaptation to bereavement.

Culture and Ethnicity

Different cultures have different perceptions, beliefs, values and customs regarding illness. My culture believes that disease is a result of natural scientific phenomena, which may affect any person regardless of their age, gender or social background. This calls for advocating of medical treatments that have been proven to combat microorganisms by using sophisticated tools to detect and treat illnesses (Kabata, 2021). Culture is a very crucial element when providing services and health professionals should adopt appropriate strategies essential for working with individuals in cross-cultural settings.   

The elderly are regarded as the teachers of our generation. They are weak and feeble, but witty and experienced in matters concerning life. They are respected and sought by young folks for their brilliant minds and keen eyes. However, the elderly population has been slowly declining in the society. The country is investing in enough and high-quality elderly homes to accommodate the aging population. Additionally, it has elevated support for policies and programs that expand opportunities for older people and support healthy aging.

Psychosocial Cultural Assessment

My previous life experiences have positively influenced my perception of the nursing program. Ever since I was young, my parents would give me books to read, and I remember Ben Carson’s “Think Big” quite got my attention. I felt in love with the character, Doctor Ben Carson, a neurosurgeon who made a breakthrough in the field of nursing and research. I believed in my dream and my parents fully supported me. I saw myself studying nursing and now that I am here, I can say that my dream has finally come true.

Since starting this program, my life has changed in a couple of ways. I have been equipped with the knowledge to detect and analyze illnesses to determine the cause and course of treatment. I have become a role-model to most people in my family and I try to inspire them to follow in my footsteps. My family’s life has changed since my parents now have hope in me, and in all my sisters who wish to pursue a nursing career in future. They have become hardworking and developed a positive attitude towards the future, since they have realized that anything is possible. My family is coping well with me while studying this program, and is fully supportive of the process. The nursing school has helped me to accomplish my developmental tasks my informing on the significance of physical and mental well-being. Through studying the course, I have learned a lot concerning the benefits of exercise, good hygiene, nutrition and good psychological well-being. The experience has improved my self-esteem by helping me acquire essential skills necessary in improving the health needs of different populations.

My body image has drastically improved through the practice of healthy habits such as exercising, reading, meditation and good hygiene. It is imperative for nursing students to attain a positive body image in order to fully understand the value of good health and well-being at a personal level (Finch-Race, 2018). The communication factor that is most relevant to me is body language. Body language is a form of unspoken communication that reveals an individual’s true feelings and presents more impact to our message. I have been intrigued by the science of body language, and often wondered how our bodies can involuntarily reveal different types of feelings such as; aggressive, defensive, nervous, bored, or engaged.

Multiculturalism

My grandfather migrated to the United States to study. He met with my grandmother (a native Ghanaian) in college, and returned to Ghana for the wedding. They had their first born son (my dad) and then moved back to America. I was born here, but I visit Ghana a couple of times. The family name was not changed once my grandparents moved here. They were so traditional, and thus maintained the native language and religion (Christianity) for over 50 years. My parents still talk to us in our native language. Some of the cultural practices and customs of my ancestors that my family still performs today include family reunions, birthday celebrations, family prayer, movie night and family meetings. These practices strengthen the bond between family members and teach values to the younger generations. My family has a close and frequent contact with extended families through such events. We also interact on social media sites and discuss ways of keeping the cultural or religious traditions going.

Race

I am African-American. I have a dark tone (medium tan) and brown eyes.

Below is my family tree. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

https://www.cdc.gov/

References

Finch-Race, D. A. (2018). Petrarch and the literary culture of nineteenth-century france: Translation, appropriation, transformation. by jennifer rushworth. French Studies, 73(1), 133–134. https://doi.org/10.1093/fs/kny287

Kabata, F. (2021). Afterword: Human Rights and the triangle of law, religion and family. In Law, religion and the family in africa (pp. 379–384). African Sun Media. https://doi.org/10.52779/9781991201577/za