NCNZ Cultural Safety and Te Tiriti — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does 'cultural safety' mean in New Zealand nursing practice?
- Practice that recognises and respects the cultural identity of patients, with the patient determining whether care is culturally safe (Correct answer)
- Ensuring all staff speak the patient's language
- Providing the same care to everyone regardless of cultural background
- Learning the customs of every culture in New Zealand
Correct answer: Practice that recognises and respects the cultural identity of patients, with the patient determining whether care is culturally safe
Cultural safety in NZ nursing means the nurse recognises and respects each patient's cultural identity and is aware of their own cultural biases. Importantly, it is the patient — not the nurse — who determines whether the care received was culturally safe.
Question 2: What is the difference between cultural safety and cultural competence in NZ nursing?
- Cultural competence is knowledge about cultures; cultural safety goes further to examine power imbalances and the patient's experience (Correct answer)
- They are the same thing with different names
- Cultural safety is less important than cultural competence
- Cultural competence is only for Māori patients while cultural safety is for all patients
Correct answer: Cultural competence is knowledge about cultures; cultural safety goes further to examine power imbalances and the patient's experience
Cultural competence involves acquiring knowledge and skills about different cultures, while cultural safety goes further by examining power relationships, institutional discrimination, and the impact of colonisation, with the patient's experience being the measure of safety.
Question 3: What are the three principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi that are applied in NZ healthcare?
- Partnership, Participation, and Protection (Correct answer)
- Respect, Responsibility, and Reciprocity
- Honesty, Integrity, and Accountability
- Equality, Equity, and Excellence
Correct answer: Partnership, Participation, and Protection
The three principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi applied in NZ healthcare are: Partnership (working together with Māori), Participation (involving Māori in all levels of healthcare), and Protection (safeguarding Māori health interests and cultural practices).
Question 4: What is the concept of whānau in NZ Māori healthcare and why is it important for nurses?
- Extended family — nurses should recognise whānau involvement in healthcare decisions as integral to Māori wellbeing (Correct answer)
- A type of traditional Māori medicine that nurses must administer
- The Māori word for hospital that nurses should use in documentation
- A greeting that nurses should use when meeting Māori patients
Correct answer: Extended family — nurses should recognise whānau involvement in healthcare decisions as integral to Māori wellbeing
Whānau (extended family) is central to Māori wellbeing and health outcomes. NZ nurses should recognise and support whānau involvement in healthcare decisions, care planning, and support, rather than limiting engagement to the individual patient alone.
Question 5: What is the significance of Te Whare Tapa Whā model in NZ nursing?
- A Māori health model with four dimensions: taha wairua (spiritual), taha hinengaro (mental), taha tinana (physical), and taha whānau (family) (Correct answer)
- A building design standard for NZ hospitals
- A nursing shift rotation system
- A medication classification system used in NZ
Correct answer: A Māori health model with four dimensions: taha wairua (spiritual), taha hinengaro (mental), taha tinana (physical), and taha whānau (family)
Te Whare Tapa Whā, developed by Sir Mason Durie, uses the metaphor of a four-walled house to represent four dimensions of health: taha wairua (spiritual), taha hinengaro (mental/emotional), taha tinana (physical), and taha whānau (family). All four must be in balance for wellbeing.
Question 6: Under NCNZ competencies, what is 'unsafe cultural practice' in nursing?
- Any action that diminishes, demeans, or disempowers the cultural identity and wellbeing of a patient (Correct answer)
- Only racial slurs or overt discrimination
- Failing to provide an interpreter for non-English speakers
- Not celebrating cultural festivals in the workplace
Correct answer: Any action that diminishes, demeans, or disempowers the cultural identity and wellbeing of a patient
Unsafe cultural practice is defined as any action that diminishes, demeans, or disempowers the cultural identity and wellbeing of an individual. This includes ignoring cultural needs, imposing one's own values, and failing to acknowledge cultural difference.
