A chance to appreciate other cultures and practices

Cultural humility is a humble and respectful attitude towards individuals of other cultures that pushes one to challenge one's own cultural biases. Kelsall-Knight (2022) defines cultural humility as a process in which nurses develop an awareness of an individual patient's culture and its potential impact on behaviours relating to health.

Within the Nursing and Midwifery Council Code (2018), it is mandated that we prioritise people. This includes caring for patients from a myriad of backgrounds, so it is essential that we all possess cultural humility and have an awareness of patients' needs when caring for those from a variety of different cultures who are living with a stoma.

At a recent study day, while listening to a session on ‘Cultural aspects in stoma care’ I was advised to ‘be nosy’ and enquire about my patients' cultures and beliefs, because the more we learn the more we are able to provide individualised, comprehensive and holistic care for all our patients.