The article is of insurmountable value to health workers. The article revolves the values, ethics and culture in a mental healthcare facility. The objective of this article is to enlighten practitioners on the changing trend when dealing with mentally challenged patients. These changes in treatment are due to globalization. America is now full of diverse cultures than before. Due to globalization people from different cultural backgrounds are working and living together. The article addresses the need for health professionals to study various cultures to be able to handle different patients satisfactorily. In cases where a health worker is dealing with a patient that he does not know his culture, it is vital for the health professional to research on the culture of the patient.
This awareness enables the clinician to know the expectations of the patient as well as understand the patient’s beliefs. For a health professional to work well he or she should be sensitive, knowledgeable and empathetic to other people’s cultures. The article also addresses the need for the health professions to be empathetic of their patients problems, this is vital in diagnosis of the problem. In the case studies illustrated, case one presents the issue of receiving gifts from patients; it is against the work ethics to receive expensive gifts from patients. However, a clinician should be wise in rejecting the gift to avoid harming the patient. In second case study the article illustrates the ethics involved in diagnosis of a disease.
A health professional should be well armed with knowledge of a culture in regard to diagnosis. However, a clinician should not be over emphatic; this might cause negative effects, as in this case study where the tumor would have been detected early enough. Case study three discusses the choices of patients to use remedial medicine. The clinicians should be knowledgeable on alternative medicine the patient chooses, the clinician should make the patient aware of the risk involved. Case study four emphasizes on confidentiality when treating a patient to avoid harm to the patient and his extended family. In case study five, the needs to have systems that ensure justice are critical. This is so especially where the patients involved are from different cultural backgrounds. The article is highly recommended for professional health workers.