Caring for Patients from Different Cultures: Case Studies from American Hospitals

This book was filled with so many interesting anecdotes it almost read like a novel. I'm heading for a career in medical social work, and this book fulfilled my craving for knowledge on the topics of both sociology and medicine. It's written in an extremely simple style (not very prosaic), but it's not dry. I'm giving it to my future mother-in-law to use as part of her curriculum as a nursing instructor. It's probably the most valuable for nurses, as they are the main players, alongside patients and their families, in the anecdotes, but it will also be helpful to doctors and social workers. Galanti raises awareness about culturally oriented topics and events that could be unforeseen by hospital workers, who may find themselves angry or bewildered in situations where neither side understands the other due to cultural differences neither of them recognizes.One of my favorite anecdotes told of a patient who, to the consternation of his roommate, was leaving footprints on the toilet seat and water all over the bathroom. This seemed very strange to the nurses, until they found out that the patient came from a country where squat toilets and washing (rather than toilet paper) were the norm and he had no experience with American-style bathroom practices.Galanti also gives advice on dealing with these culture clashes, focusing on accommodating the patients and their families, since hospital stays/procedures can be difficult and stressful. She illustrates right and wrong ways of dealing with these situations by talking about how the professional acted and whether it was effective or potentially damaging, and going over what they could have done differently.Overall, I'd highly recommend it as a textbook or an entertaining read for anyone in a medical profession, or for anyone entering social work or sociology, or even a layperson who's interested in any of the above.

It was ok for the class I used it in. There were some grammatical errors that made it more difficult to read. I would only get it for a class if I needed it even though the information it covered about different cultures was helpful.

School

This book is great! It provides a lot of detail and examples. It has more information than I need as a CNA and Allied Health instructor. But, I was able to pull some sample scenarios to use in class!

Got the product on time. It's a very entertaining book with all the stories in it. It's racist AF but funny. She generalizes but doesn't stereotype. If you read this then you will understand the difference.

I was required to purchase this book for a cross cultural medicine course. The professor had not read the book before we started the course and I hope that if he had this book would not have been used. I felt that it was written in a way that insulted my intelligence. The examples were super cheesy and she wrote them as if she had truly had each of these experiences. However, she was about as convincing as your mom telling you that the tooth fairy is real when you're 16. I was thoroughly offended by some of the author's writings, particularly in regards to African Americans. Although this is a book that is supposed to enlighten readers about other cultures, all it really accomplished was reinforcing false stereotypes. I truly can't believe someone published this.

This book is a great example of different patient cultures.

This was required for a college course but it was actually an interesting read. I really enjoyed the case studies. This is a book I would have read on my own time.

It is good. it arrived in good form, and is functioning well. I enjoy it, because it is serving the purpose.