Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

How can the health care worker best treat each patient as an individual?

Health care workers should never make assumptions about patients. Instead, they should use a variety of methods to learn about each patient. These methods include observing the patient’s behavior, finding out what language is preferred and if there are other communication barriers, asking questions about health care beliefs and practices, noting the patient’s preferred communication style, and listening carefully to the patient’s responses. The health care worker should also be willing to give explanations and answer all the patient’s questions.

What are defense mechanisms?

Defense mechanisms are behavioral responses individuals use to maintain their self-esteem and protect themselves from situations that are difficult to face. These mechanisms help provide relief from mental and emotional pain and anxiety. Defense mechanisms, however, only offer temporary relief because they do not address the specific problems or circumstances that are causing the difficulty. Patients sometimes use defense mechanisms to deal with the stress of illness and loss.

Why should health care workers understand how patients deal with loss?

All types of health care encounters can involve loss: loss of freedom, loss of the ability to do certain activities, loss of self-image, and loss of financial security. People react differently to loss, and health care workers can help patients adjust to the losses they experience.

What are some ways that other cultures view health and health care?

Different cultures define health in different ways. For example, to some it means the absence of disease; to others, it means being in harmony with nature. Beliefs about the causes of illness differ, too. These include germs, punishment for sins, and an imbalance of the body’s energy. Methods of treatment are varied, ranging from prayer to traditional healers to surgery.