1. Egyptian culture
There is an immense cultural mix in Egypt. The major cities follow the traditions that existed during the Pharaohs time while other parts of the country follow pure tribal customs which found themselves in the country courtesy of invaders. Visitors and foreigners are welcomed with the warmth of the customs and mentality of Egyptians though they are warned of being too generous, smart, patronizing and arrogant (Cunningham & Reich, 2009). The local Egyptians local nature can be felt by travelers making Egypt to be considered as a country in the region that is most attractive due to the hospitality shown. With the Egyptians being moderately religious, it is hard not to notice the religious principles they practice in their daily lives. It is customary for Egyptians to refuse for the first time whenever they are offered something. They believe that if the offer was not for politeness only but one that came from the heart, then it would be repeated (Cunningham & Reich, 2009).
In Egypt, tipping is one way that the Egyptians make their living since they have very little for survival. Tipping leaves a good impression on someone who feels that they applied some extra effort. Egyptians prefer to be referred to as Egyptians other than Arabs as they tend to recognize their history. Egyptians do not like politics or religion discussions as they tend to be sensitive. Women in Egypt are well educated and beautiful since their parents take care of them until they get married. In Egypt, marriage is important. Men prefer to marry virgin women who encompass 85% of the women as they are considered to be moral and of good karma (Cunningham & Reich, 2009). Women are supposed to be modest and not expose themselves to men. They are also supposed to keep their voices down as a sign of honor.
It is common for the average Egyptian to have speech exaggeration and over emphasis which is also reflected in their everyday conversation since they use the colloquial language type. Though they aspire to use the classical form of language, they find themselves comfortable using the colloquial (Cunningham & Reich, 2009). In communications, this exaggeration often leads to conflicts. With the Egypt society recognizing and rewarding male domination, the males tend to be chauvinists. Islam forms Egypt’s prominent culture and prohibits anything which goes against the law of Islam’s, though Coptic Christians exist. Church is attended regularly. The government ensures that its wealth and businesses are safe. It is a norm for everyone to serve in the military for a period not less than 2 years (Cunningham & Reich, 2009).
2. Verbal and Non verbal communication
Verbal and non verbal communication that will aid in developing trust between me and the patient include:
Verbal communication
This forms one way of people to be able to communicate while facing one another that is, face to face. Verbal communication encompasses words, sound, speaking and language. As children grow, they learn how to form sounds into words. Words alone do not have any meaning unless meaning is put into them. Language develops when meaning is converted into words. This leads to the speaking development (Esposito, 2007)
Non verbal communication
This is where in a communication setting, the source and the receiver use non verbal stimuli while communicating. They include; eye contact, proximity, touch, vocal nuance, glance, volume, facial expressions, gestures, dress, posture, intonation, word choice and syntax, smell and sounds (paralanguage) (Esposito, 2007).The General appearance and dress code draw judgments depending on culture. Attractiveness differs from modesty. Body movement and the way we position ourselves forms a key aspect when sending messages. The body posture also matters most during communication for instance pocketing to some cultures is offensive. Gestures also vary from one culture to another. What can be acceptable to one culture can be offensive to another hence it is good to recognize what is acceptable where (Esposito, 2007).
The intensity of facial expressions also varies from one culture to another for in stance while one smiles too much, then they are considered to be shallow. Eye contact also depends on culture. For instance, to some it shows the interest or attention degree while to others it is a lack of respect. Touch is also determined from one culture to another. Touch communicates affection or control, support, protect or disapprove for instance, hugging, kicking among others. Some cultures forbid public touches while others allow. Paralanguage which include yelling, moaning, whining, yawning, belching, laughing and crying to different cultures mean differently (Esposito, 2007).
3. How to obtain an allergic history(or any other history)
An allergic history can be obtained by asking questions that are specific concerning the allergic reaction like the respiratory symptoms of itchiness, rash among others (Ring, 2005). It is important to find out the interventions that have been done. Knowledge of whether there have been any prescriptions or preloaded medications on the patient is also important. It is important to know whether the same allergy or other allergies have been there before. Last oral intake has to be determined as well as the recent events of the patient (Ring, 2005). The obstacles likely to be encountered if the patient was from the opposite sex are the eye contact, the words used, the volume and the proximity.
4. Explaining an allergy diagnostic procedure
Before making an allergy diagnosis, a skin test has to be carried out that will determine the allergy substance which would affect an allergic reaction (Ring, 2005). Allergy is deemed to be probable if the skin swells or reddens. When the skin test proves to be positive, then the patient is considered to have the IgE type of antibody on some of the skins specialized cells which in order to cause redness and itching, release histamine (Ring, 2005). Skin tests are safe, rapid and simple in identifying allergy causes. However, it can not be carried out on patients who have anaphylactic reactions or with extensive eczema since they would call for a dangerous reaction. What can be done to them are special blood tests which measure the types of IgE specifically in the blood (Ring, 2005).
References
Cunningham, L. S. & Reich, J. J. (2009). Culture and Values: A Survey of the Humanities. Independence, KY: Cengage Learning.
Esposito, A. (2007). Fundamentals of verbal and nonverbal communication and the biometric issue. Amsterdam: IOS Press.
Ring, J. (2005). Allergy in practice. New York, NY: Springer.
