Bedside manners in a multicultural world |Drug Alcoholic Trauma Allergy Treatment

Eastern manners

Do not expect an Afro-Asian to answer intimate questions,without first explaining about confidentiality.

Avoid prolonged eye contact and loud speech (indicates lack ofrespect).
Control your gesticulations (thethumbs up sign is consideredrude).
A psychiatric referral may destroy eligibility formarriage.

Hindu

First names (eg Lalita) are often male and female, but middle names(eg Devi) always denote sex and they are often written together(Lalitadevi).

A Hindu is likely to give only his first 2 names, withholding hisfamily name, to be polite. This can cause great confusion in registration.
Some have dietary restrictions (no beef/veal); some are strictvegetarians.
The cow is sacred to Hindus, so do not offer beefinsulin.

Sikh names

Some Sikhs have no family name. Singh and Kaur indicate only sexand religion, so that extra identification is needed on the notes.

Muslims

(The largest non-christian UK sect). Sometimes the last name is nota family name, and the first name is not the personal name. There may be noshared family name. The first name is often religious (eg Mohammed). Commonfemale second names (eg Banu, Begum, Bi, Bibi, and Sultana) are of as littlehelp in identification as the title Ms is in UK names. Writing the father's namecan give extra identification. See Mosby's Guide to PhysicalExamination.

Shoes are to be taken off before entering the house (for anypurpose).
Some Muslims do not shake hands with the opposite sex afterpuberty.
Majority of Muslims do not drink alcohol (so do not offertonics).
Some Muslims may refuse to take their medication in Ramadan. Ifprescribing drugs once or twice daily (before sunrise; after sunset) is not OK,explain the disease: according to Islamic rules, ill people must not fast.
Do not offer pork insulin to Muslims.

Muslims and death

Religious observance requires prompt burial, not cremation. Washingand shrouding is an important ceremony traditionally done by elders of the samesex and only relatives and friends may do it

The dead body is sacred and never abandoned by relatives; so it israre for undertakers to be involved. Bereavement lasts for 3-7 days (prayersin the home may be said almost continuously).
In some cultures, wives may stay at home for several weeks afterdeath of a spouse and they cannot re-marry for up to 3-4 months.
Some cultures have restrictions for transplantation orautopsy.