Discuss your own culture’s pattern of communication using Purnell’s Domains of Culture as a guide. When your personal communication practices differ from what is in the scholarly literature, posit why. See the variant cultural characteristics as a guide. Speak to each one of the following points:
· Identify your cultural ancestry. If you have more than one cultural ancestry, chose the one with which you most closely associate.
· Explore the willingness of individuals in your culture to share thoughts, feelings, and ideas. Identify any area of discussion that would be considered taboo?
· Explore the practice and meaning of touch in your culture. Include information regarding touch between family members, friends, members of the opposite sex, and health-care providers.
· Identify personal spatial and distancing strategies used when communicating with others in your culture. Discuss differences between friends and families versus strangers.
· Discuss your culture’s use of eye contact. Include information regarding practices between family members, friends, strangers, and persons of different age groups.
· Explore the meaning of gestures and facial expressions in your culture. Do specific gestures or facial expressions have special meanings? How are emotions displayed?
· Are there acceptable ways of standing and greeting people in your culture?
· Discuss the prevailing temporal relation of your culture. Is the culture’s worldview past, present, or future-oriented? Temporality also includes punctuality.
· Discuss the impact of your culture on your nursing and/or health care. Be specific, not something that is very general.