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To me health is defined by being physically, mentally, and emotionally strong.  When all the above are aligned I can live a fulfilling and happy life. This can be done by ensuring that I am focusing on my body by eating food that will help my body strengthen and grow, exercising frequently, preventative healthcare. I also ensure that I am prioritising the people and relationships around me, looking after my mental health, and focusing on my sense of self and happiness.

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Cultural Competence in Nursing: Reflecting on Self-Awareness

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Cultural Competence in Nursing: Reflecting on Self-Awareness

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One aspect of healthcare that I think is vital, especially when working in such a multicultural country like Australia, is the ability to be culturally sensitive. Competency Standard 12.1. from the ‘Culturally Responsive Clinical Practice: Working with People from Migrant and Refugee Backgrounds’ framework outlines how important it is for nurses to be aware of their own cultural beliefs, understanding and bias and how this can impact their interactions when they are nursing.(Culturally Responsive Clinical Practice: Working with People from Migrant and Refugee Backgrounds, 2019) When I read the Competency Standard 12.1, I knew it would be important to write about in my blog as I strongly believe that being aware my own culture and any potential bias, I have could impact my standard of care. Therefore, I will work hard to apply Competency Standard 12.1, to my nursing practices by working to remove deeply ingrained biases I may have towards people of cultures different to my own.  An example may be that I will not assume that I should make eye contact with my patient to be polite. In some cultures, it is rude to make eye contact with a person that is senior to me(Communicating Effectively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, 2015.) I strongly believe it is important that we all work to grow and develop our understanding and compassion towards people with other cultures, so I invite you to reflect and share experiences about working with diverse cultures so that we can all grow our understanding.

References:
Culturally Responsive Clinical Practice: Working with People from Migrant and Refugee Backgrounds. (2019).
Communicating effectively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. (2015). https://www.health.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0021/151923/communicating.pdf

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Tea tree oil has been scientifically proven to have antiseptic potency, which can be used to treat a wide variety of health issues such as, toenail fungal infections, acne, and sore throats. It is a natural oil derived from the tea tree plant founded all over Australia.

Reference:
WebMD. (2020). Tea tree oil: Overview, uses, side effects, precautions, interactions, dosing and reviews. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-113/tea-tree-oil

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The upcoming referendum about whether there is a change to the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by giving them a voice in parliament. The upcoming referendum is a display of how Australia is working towards a more inclusive and respectful future regarding how we treat the indigenous people of this land.

Reference:
Australian Electoral Commission; address=10 Mort Street, C. A. 2600; contact=13 23 26. (2023, July 1). Referendum 2023. Australian Electoral Commission. https://www.aec.gov.au/referendums/learn/the-question.html

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An insight into what Income, Education and Housing looks like for migrants.

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An insight into what Income, Education and Housing looks like for migrants.

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People seeking refuge in Australia have already had to face a multitude of risk factors of poor health. When they arrive in Australia it is imperative that they have access to appropriate social determinants such as housing, education, and income to ensure that they have the best chance of having successful health outcomes. Education is a social determinant that all Australians have the luxury of being provided from a young age, unfortunately this is not this case for many migrants. Therefore, it is important that they have access to education when they arrive to ensure that they can grow their understanding and better their chances at success (Immigration and Citizenship Website, 2023). This can be difficult as there will be most likely be language and cultural barriers. A way to combat this issue could have language and culture representation in the classrooms and ensure that educators facilitate any requirements for these students.

Housing is another social determinant that is critical in ensuring a person’s health needs are met. Having a place that not only provide physical protection but is also a place that a person can go to feel safe, and calm is critical. Often when a person is seeking refuge in Australia the country that they fled is war torn so their “home” was never safe, therefore we must work to ensure that a safe, comfortable environment is provided for them when they arrive here. That can be difficult in the current housing crisis, where many people are struggling to afford to buy or rent a house to live. Therefore, efforts need to be made by the government to ensure that affordable and suitable housing is provided for everyone in Australia. There is a company called AMES Australia which offers diverse forms of housing assistance to recently arrived refugees and asylum seekers, tailored to their specific requirements(Accommodation Services, 2023).

Income is a critical social determinant for migrants when they have fled to Australia for refuge. Having a stable income can benefit their health because they can afford food, shelter, and healthcare(Exploring the Relationship between Housing and Health for Refugees and Asylum Seekers in South Australia: A Qualitative Study - PMC, 2017). Having financial stability can be difficult for some migrants to achieve as they may struggle to get a job due to language and qualification barriers. To decrease this issue in Australia we must promote policies that help migrants and refugees get jobs, have financial support and appropriate access to healthcare.

References:
Accommodation Services. Housing Services for Refugees & Asylum Seekers | AMES Australia. (2023). https://www.ames.net.au/settle-in-aus/accommodation-services#:~:text=AMES%20Australia%20Accommodation%20Services%20ensures,estate%20documentation%20in%20timely%20manner.

Exploring the Relationship between Housing and Health for Refugees and Asylum Seekers in South Australia: A Qualitative Study—PMC. (n.d.). Retrieved October 7, 2023, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5615573/

Settle in Australia key settlement topics - immigration and citizenship ... Settle in Australia. (2023). https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/settling-in-australia/settle-in-australia/key-settlement-topics

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Refugee Health Concerns: Syria >Australia. 

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Refugee Health Concerns: Syria >Australia. 

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Syria is a war-torn country that has led to suffering since 2011 when the fighting begun. Due to the over decade long war that has being going on in Syria there has been a massive decline in essentials for the people of Syria including clean water, food, and healthcare (Reid, 2023) As if the ongoing war wasn’t enough on February 6th a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the northwest of Syria and killed thousands of people and forced many others to flee. In 2015 the Australian Government announced that they would resettle 12,000 Syrian and Iraqi refugees in Australia due to the war that has affect their country (Reid, 2023). When the migrants arrive to Australia, they will be presenting with some health concerns including infectious diseases, mental health issues and nutritional deficiencies.

Tuberculosis

Due to the poor living conditions and access to clean water it is more than likely that people living in Syria that are fleeing to Australia have infectious disease such as tuberculosis. Tuberculosis is an infectious illness that affects the lungs and can be spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes and someone inhales the tiny, infected droplets. Tuberculosis can be treated with antibacterial medication (Tuberculosis, 2022).

Mental Health condition:

Due to the constant exposure to war and hate crimes, loss of family and being forced to flee their country to pursue a better life it would be a miracle a refugee wasn’t suffering from a mental health condition. One very prominent mental health condition that many refugees would suffer is depression. Depression is a stubborn feeling of sadness and lack of interest in activities that previously would bring joy. It can affect sleep appetite and concentration. A common cause of depression is a significant negative life event. For most refugees most of their life is a significant negative life event. It is important that their depression is cured by medication and seeking professional help via a psychologist.

Nutritional Deficiencies:

In countries like Syria there is often a lot of food insecurity and the food available is often lacking the appropriate nutrition. Due to this a lot of refugees will be severely malnourished and underweight. When the refugees arrive in Australia it is important that they are assessed by a health care professional and then provided with nutritional support including affordable, culturally appropriate food.

References:
Reid, K. (2023, March 16). Syrian refugee crisis: Facts, FAQs, and how to help. World Vision. https://www.worldvision.org/refugees-news-stories/syrian-refugee-crisis-facts

Tuberculosis. (2022, March 21). https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/tuberculosis.aspx

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Australia has such a love for sport especially within the community. I’m sure if you go down to your local oval on a weekend it will be full of people young and old playing the sport they love, with the people they love. Some of the many communities sports Australia has to offer include netball, basketball, cricket, soccer, rugby, and my personal favourite AFL. I love to watch and play AFL. It a great opportunity for me to socialise, work on teamwork and stay fit.

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A classic Australian staple that can be found in most Aussie household’s is the savoury spread Vegemite. Vegemite is famous around the world as a symbol of Australia, but people who have never tried it before need to be wary as it is very strong and can be an acquired taste. I personally love to have it on a buttered piece of toast with a VERY light layer of Vegemite spread over the top. YUM!
Reference:
Vegemite. Tastes Like Australia. (2023, October 5). https://vegemite.com.au/

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Every year Cottesloe Beach hosts an exhibition that features sculptures created by Australian and international artist. It allows people all over Australia to come to the stunning coastline of WA and experience all different types of art that the nation has to offer. Once you have seen all that Sculptures by the Sea has to offer you can wander around Cottesloe and get some fish and chips and watch the sunset.

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Most schools throughout Australia provide a mandatory subject of language other than English. It is compulsory all through primary school and up to year 10, after this student can decide whether they want to continue their language studies. Some languages include Japanese, Italian, Indonesian, Mandarin and French. This subject preserve languages and promote cultural exchange and understanding within the school community. When I was at school I was taught Italian and this is where my love for the language and country began.