Public Health Nursing Practice Exam

A nurse believes only in Western medicine, rejecting alternative therapies. This is an example of:

1. Ethnocentrism

2. Cultural imposition

3. Racism

4. Stereotyping

The correct answer is: Ethnocentrism

The belief that only in Western medicine while rejecting alternative therapies exemplifies ethnocentrism. Ethnocentrism refers to the tendency to evaluate other cultures based on the standards and values of one’s own culture, often leading to the perception that one’s own cultural practices are superior. In this context, the nurse's exclusive belief in Western medicine demonstrates a narrow worldview that undervalues and dismisses the effectiveness and significance of alternative therapies that may be culturally relevant and beneficial to patients from diverse backgrounds. Cultural imposition would relate to the practice of forcing one's own cultural values onto others, which is not directly illustrated in this scenario. Racism pertains to the belief in the superiority of one race over another and discriminatory practices based on race, which does not apply here. Stereotyping involves oversimplifying and generalizing characteristics about a group, whereas ethnocentrism specifically addresses the bias of one cultural approach over another. Thus, the situation described aligns most closely with ethnocentrism.