Health Promotion The advance practice nurse is a professional healer that deals with many people on a daily basis. Coworkers, administrators, patients and their families all interact with the nurse throughout the working hours, and the relationships that are built form the basic structure that supports the nurse's career and very much determines the degree of success that will be achieved. The people with whom the nurse will interact come from many walks of life; the nurse will be exposed to people of many different races, ethnicities, religions, genders, sexual orientations, nationalities, social statuses, political opinions, and physical appearances. In order for the nurse to have healthy relationships with those around him or her, it is vital to be culturally accepting and understanding of anyone that might be a part of his or her professional relationships. President John F. Kennedy once said, "Let us not be blind to our differences - but let us also direct attention to our common interests and the means by which those differences can be resolved. And if we cannot end our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity." This statement is very relevant to advance practice nursing, as the nurse must be aware of cultural differences, understand the common elements between all people, and...

In order to overcome differences, one must first be able to identify and understand them. The nurse must educate him or herself about what differences will be found among the people he or she will be working with. Learning about various religions, ethnicities, and cultures is an important first step, especially becoming familiar with any different groups that are prominent in the area that the nurse will be practicing. Does the area have a significant number of foreign patients, or patients of a certain religious group? Are there cultural beliefs that are relevant to treating these patients, such as common religious beliefs regarding medical treatment, or significantly different communication styles that might need to be overcome? Does the nurse know how to respectfully deal with patients that might be culturally different without passing judgment or feeling uncomfortable? The nurse must be prepared to deal with every individual on an equal level and in a healthy fashion.
The advance practice nurse must also be able to focus on the common interests and goals of both coworkers and patients, despite any…