Caring for Haitian American Patients: A Cultural Orientation for Staff Nurses in South Florida
Student Name
Master of Science in Nursing Program, Aspen University
N512: Diverse Populations & Health Care
Instructor Name
Month Day, Year
Slide 2: Objectives
Compare Haitian culture with the presenter's own
Describe Haiti's history, geography, and social conditions
Identify health risks, childbearing and bereavement practices, and spiritual strengths
Apply knowledge of health beliefs and learning preferences to nursing care
Speaker notes: This orientation prepares staff nurses to care for Haitian American patients, one of the largest immigrant communities in South Florida. I chose Haitian culture because, although I work beside Haitian colleagues, I knew little about it before this project. Every point here describes common patterns, not rules; individual patients will differ, and the best source about any patient's culture is the patient (Purnell, 2002).
Slide 3: Comparing Cultures, Family
Both: extended family central to daily life and decisions
Both: deep respect for elders
Difference: in many Haitian families, elders and men may speak for the family in health decisions
Example: a daughter may expect to be present for her mother's diagnosis
Speaker notes: My own background is Filipino American and Catholic, and I found more in common with Haitian culture than I expected. In both, the extended family is central and elders are respected. In many Haitian families, decisions about health are made collectively, and older family members or men may speak for the family (Colin, 2020). A nurse should ask the patient whom they want involved rather than assume either individual or family decision-making.
Slide 4: Comparing Cultures, Faith
Both: strong Catholic heritage and the importance of prayer
Difference: Haitian Protestant churches are growing, and some families also practice Vodou
Both: faith used to explain and cope with illness
Example: 'Si Bondye vle' (God willing) when discussing recovery
Speaker notes: Filipino and Haitian cultures share Catholic roots, and both use prayer and faith to cope with illness. Haiti also has a growing Protestant population, and some Haitians practice Vodou, sometimes alongside Christianity. Patients may say 'Si Bondye vle,' God willing, when discussing their prognosis, which reflects faith rather than passivity (Colin, 2020).
Slide 5: Comparing Cultures, Language and Communication
Haitian Creole spoken by nearly all Haitians; French by a more educated minority
My family: Tagalog at home, English at work
Both: politeness may mean agreeing in front of authority
Example: nodding may signal respect, not understanding
Speaker notes: Almost all Haitians speak Haitian Creole, while French has historically been the language of education and government, spoken by a smaller group. As in my own family, where Tagalog was spoken at home, many patients are more comfortable in their first language when discussing health. In both cultures, patients may nod or agree out of respect for a nurse's authority, so agreement should be confirmed with teach-back (Holcomb et al., 1996).
Slide 6: History and Politics
First Black republic, independent from France in 1804 after a revolution by enslaved people
Decades of dictatorship and political instability
2010 earthquake and continuing crises
Migration waves: professionals in the 1960s, boat arrivals in the 1980s, later family reunification
Speaker notes: Haiti became the first Black republic in 1804 after enslaved people defeated French colonial forces, a source of deep national pride. The country has since faced dictatorship, political instability, and disasters, including the 2010 earthquake. Kobetz et al. (2013) found that the earthquake strongly affected Haitians in Miami's Little Haiti, many of whom lost relatives, and that most coped by relying on their social networks.
Slide 7: Geography, Economy, and Education
Western third of Hispaniola; mountainous terrain limits roads and access
Among the poorest nations in the Western Hemisphere
Limited public schooling; many schools private or church-run
Literacy and formal education vary widely among immigrants
Speaker notes: Haiti occupies the western third of the island of Hispaniola, and its mountainous terrain makes travel to clinics and hospitals difficult in rural areas. It is among the poorest nations in the Western Hemisphere. Public education is limited, and many schools are private or run by churches, so educational preparation among immigrants ranges from university degrees to little formal schooling (Colin, 2020). Nurses should never assume literacy level from appearance or occupation.
Slide 8: Hereditary, Genetic, and Endemic Diseases
Hypertension and stroke are major concerns
Sickle cell trait and disease, as in other populations of African ancestry
Endemic in Haiti: tuberculosis, malaria, typhoid, cholera since 2010
HIV: a significant concern, complicated by stigma
Speaker notes: Hypertension and stroke are common among Haitian adults, and diabetes is rising. Sickle cell trait and disease occur, as in other populations of African ancestry. Tuberculosis, malaria, and typhoid are endemic in Haiti, and cholera spread after the 2010 earthquake. HIV is an important concern, but many Haitians remember being labeled a risk group in the early 1980s, and that experience still creates stigma and distrust (Colin, 2020).
Slide 9: Nursing Interventions for Disease Risk
Screen blood pressure at every visit; discuss salt in traditional dishes
Offer tuberculosis and hepatitis B screening to recent arrivals
Ask about sickle cell status before surgery or in pain crises
Offer HIV testing routinely to everyone, never singled out
Speaker notes: Interventions follow from these risks. Blood pressure should be checked at every encounter, with dietary teaching that works with traditional foods rather than forbidding them. Recent arrivals should be offered tuberculosis and hepatitis B screening. Sickle cell status matters before surgery and when patients report pain crises. HIV testing should be offered routinely to all patients, so no Haitian patient feels targeted, which addresses the stigma of the past.
Slide 10: Childbearing Practices
Pregnancy seen as a natural, healthy state
Postpartum: warm baths with leaves, avoiding cold foods and drinks, rest at home for weeks
Belief that strong emotions can affect breast milk
Family women, especially mothers, provide postpartum care
Speaker notes: Many Haitian women view pregnancy as a natural state and may begin prenatal care later than recommended. After birth, traditional practices include warm baths with leaves, avoiding cold foods and drinks, and resting at home while female relatives help. Some believe that fright or anger can spoil breast milk (Colin, 2020). Nurses can support these practices when they are safe and explain the importance of postpartum checkups within the family's routine.
Slide 11: Bereavement Practices
Death is a family and community event; many relatives gather
Grief may be expressed openly and loudly
Wakes and funerals are important and may be costly
Religious rituals, Catholic, Protestant, or Vodou, may be performed
Speaker notes: When a Haitian patient is dying, many relatives may come to the hospital, and grief may be expressed openly, with crying, wailing, or fainting. Nurses should provide space and not interpret this as a loss of control. Wakes and funerals are important community events, and families may perform religious rituals. Asking the family what practices matter to them and allowing time with the body shows respect (Holcomb et al., 1996).
Slide 12: Spiritual Sources of Strength
Faith in God as the ultimate healer
Church community for practical and emotional support
Prayer, hymns, and Bible reading at the bedside
Religious leaders as trusted advisers
Speaker notes: Faith is a primary source of strength for many Haitian patients, who may see God as the ultimate healer and doctors as instruments of healing. Church communities provide meals, transportation, and emotional support. Nurses can support prayer and visits from pastors or priests, and religious leaders can be trusted partners in health education (Colin, 2020).
Slide 13: Illness Explanations
Natural illnesses: caused by cold, heat, diet, or 'gaz'
Supernatural illnesses: may be attributed to spirits or curses
Treatment may be sought from both clinicians and traditional healers
Ask, do not dismiss: 'What do you think caused this?'
Speaker notes: Many Haitians distinguish natural illnesses, caused by factors such as temperature, diet, or gas, from supernatural illnesses attributed to spirits or curses. Patients may seek help from both medical providers and traditional healers, depending on the cause they suspect. Nurses should ask what the patient thinks caused the illness and respect the answer, which builds trust and reveals practices that may affect treatment (Colin, 2020).
Slide 14: Health Care Practices and Traditional Medicine
Herbal teas and home remedies often tried first
Traditional healers: herbalists, midwives, spiritual healers
Balance of hot and cold in food and remedies
Some may stop medicines once symptoms improve
Speaker notes: Many families use herbal teas and home remedies before seeking care, and some consult herbalists, traditional midwives, or spiritual healers. Hot and cold balance guides choices about food and remedies. Some patients stop medications once they feel better, which matters for hypertension and tuberculosis treatment (Holcomb et al., 1996). Nurses should ask about all remedies and explain why chronic medicines must continue.
Slide 15: Barriers and the Meaning of Pain
Barriers: language, cost, immigration concerns, transportation
Past stigma, such as HIV labeling, fuels distrust
Pain may be expressed stoically or dramatically, varying by person
Pain descriptions may be general: 'I have pain all over'
Speaker notes: Barriers include language, cost, lack of insurance, concerns about immigration status, and transportation. Distrust stemming from past stigma can delay care. Pain expression varies widely: some patients endure pain silently while others express it openly, and pain may be described in general terms. Nurses should use a Creole interpreter and pain scales with faces or pictures and should not judge the amount of pain by how it is expressed (Colin, 2020).
Slide 16: Learning Styles
Strong oral tradition: stories and conversation
Demonstration and hands-on practice work well
Written materials in Creole with pictures, at a plain reading level
Teach-back confirms understanding
Speaker notes: Haitian culture has a strong oral tradition, so teaching through conversation, stories, and demonstration is often more effective than written instructions. Written materials should be in Haitian Creole, with pictures and plain language. Because patients may nod out of respect, nurses should use teach-back to confirm understanding rather than asking whether the patient understands (Holcomb et al., 1996).
Slide 17: Autonomy and Educational Preparation
Decisions often made with family
Respect for clinicians may discourage questions
Educational backgrounds range widely
Invite questions directly; involve family if the patient wishes
Speaker notes: Many Haitian patients make decisions with their families and may defer to clinicians out of respect, rarely asking questions. Educational preparation varies from professionals to people with little schooling. Nurses can invite questions directly, involve family members if the patient wishes, and adapt teaching to each patient's background rather than to assumptions about the group (Purnell, 2002).
Slide 18: Conclusion
Haitian patients bring pride, faith, and strong family support
Know the health risks and the history behind distrust
Respect childbearing, bereavement, and spiritual practices
Teach in Creole, orally, with teach-back, and ask rather than assume
Speaker notes: Haitian American patients bring a proud history, deep faith, and strong family networks. Understanding their health risks, the history that shapes trust, and their practices around birth, death, and healing helps nurses provide care that fits. Above all, this orientation offers questions to ask, not answers to assume, because every Haitian patient is an individual.
References
Colin, J. M. (2020). People of Haitian heritage. In L. D. Purnell & E. A. Fenkl (Eds.), Textbook for transcultural health care: A population approach (5th ed., pp. 469-495). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-51399-3_18
Holcomb, L., Parsons, L., Giger, J. N., & Davidhizar, R. (1996). Haitian Americans: Implications for nursing care. Journal of Community Health Nursing, 13(4), 249-260. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327655jchn1304_4
Kobetz, E., Menard, J., Kish, J., Bishop, I., Hazan, G., & Nicolas, G. (2013). Impacts of the 2010 Haitian earthquake in the diaspora: Findings from Little Haiti, Miami, FL. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 15(2), 442-447. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-012-9635-1
Purnell, L. (2002). The Purnell model for cultural competence. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 13(3), 193-196. https://doi.org/10.1177/10459602013003006
How this N 512 Module 8 example is structured
N512 Module 8 is typically the signature assignment: 15 to 20 slides plus title, objectives and references orienting staff nurses or students to a culture you know little about, covering comparison with your own culture, history and social conditions, hereditary and endemic diseases, childbearing and bereavement, spiritual strengths, health care practices and pain, and learning styles, with two or three examples each and at least four scholarly sources. Aspen revises courses, so follow your classroom's prompt. This example follows the required slide breakdown area by area.
N512 Module 8 questions, answered
What does N512 Module 8 usually ask for?
The signature assignment: 15 to 20 slides plus title, objectives and references orienting staff nurses or students to a culture you know little about, covering seven areas with two or three examples each, detailed speaker notes and at least four scholarly sources.
How should the slides be divided?
The listing suggests at least three slides comparing cultures and at least two each for history and social conditions, disease risks and interventions, childbearing and bereavement, spiritual strengths, health care practices and learning styles, plus title, objectives and references.
How do I avoid stereotyping in a culture presentation?
Present patterns as common tendencies, not rules, say so explicitly, and turn each pattern into a question to ask the patient. A model such as Purnell's reminds the audience that individuals vary within every group.
Write yours, or have the desk draft it
This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Aspen University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.