[Student Nurse]

I am a student nurse and am looking for information on caring for Mexican people. I understand there are cultural differences in certain areas such as caring for the elderly, death and dying, caring for pregnant women, health care promotion, etc., and I would like to learn what Mexicans would like Americans to know about special care, traditions and practices they would receive in their own country. Please no comments on the obvious, such as language, respect, etc. Please include specifics such as traditions and customs not usually known or performed by Americans, and any Internet sites (in English) that could help me with my research.

User Detail :  

Name : Student Nurse, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, City : Charlotte, State : NC, Country : United States, Occupation : nurse, 

[Anonymous23723]

I’m American with Mexican parents. The thing is, everything in Mexico is Americanized and almost nobody cares about tradition anymore. (The only places I’ve seen traditional things was in the tourist shops.) Most Mexicans also know English. There’s probably the religion thing (most Mexicans are Catholics) but that’s probably the only custom not really familiar to Americans. By the way, Mexicans prefer American healthcare; most travel to the States to get cured. I say that because you implied they have their own ways of caring for people.

User Detail :  

Name : Anonymous23723, Gender : F, Race : Hispanic/Latino (may be any race), Religion : Agnostic, Age : 14, City : Somewhere, State : GA, Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, 

[ACC25098]

You’ll find that many Mexicans still believe in going to their neighborhood curanderas (traditional Indian healers) first for treatment. Only if that fails will they go to a doctor or hospital. Curanderas use a combination of herbal healing and prayer. Most are also midwives. My mother and all my aunts and uncles except one were delivered by the curandera. It’d be a good idea for you to pick up some works by anthropologists on curanderismo. You’ll also find some folk beliefs among some Mexicans, such as thinking that drinking a cold drink will give you a cold or that certain foods have ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ properties based on their color and should not be eaten together for that reason.

User Detail :  

Name : ACC25098, Gender : M, Race : Mexican and American Indian, City : San Antonio, State : TX, Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, 

[Miguel20594]

The main advice I would give you is to be very understanding toward them. To leave a grandparent in an asylum for the elderly is definitely un-Mexican, so they might be a bit depressed, missing their families and all. Normally, the spinster daughter or a day-nurse is charged with their care, so that they remain a part of the household and of the family. I repeat: Be very kind to them. They need it.

User Detail :  

Name : Miguel20594, Gender : M, Race : Hispanic/Latino (may be any race), Religion : Catholic, Age : 25, City : Tampico, State : NA, Country : Mexico, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Rosie29492]

Something I know is very important to my family (the Mexican half, anyway) is dying in general. In my experience, it is very important to spend time with a dying person, and even after the person has died, we need to spend time with them (and each other). And there is less of a ‘taboo’ in dealing with a dead body – we will hug, kiss and hold a person who has died.

User Detail :  

Name : Rosie29492, Gender : F, Race : Mexican/Jewish, Age : 22, City : Los Angeles, State : CA, Country : United States, Occupation : student, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

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