In Taiwan, healthcare practices have deep ties to the region’s heavy Buddhist influence. BYU professors Ryan Rasmussen and Stacie Hunsaker accompanied 20 nursing students to the country, where they observed these cultural differences in medicine firsthand and learned to love the culture.
In the U.S., in Taiwan, or anywhere else, the human body is the same by and large. Many treatments, medications, and other tools are similar, but there are important differences in cultural practices surrounding healthcare.
Students spent time at Chi Mei Medical Center in Tainan, the nation’s former capital. Fifth-semester student Elyse Paulsen said the hospital setting at Chi Mei was “very much like a medical TV show.” It was very crowded, with doctors and nurses rushing from place to place.
There were some small differences in hospital setup. For instance, there were many patients in each room, and there was little privacy. Elyse considered this to be poor practice at first, and she asked a Taiwanese nurse why patients weren’t separated. Elyse’s perspective shifted when the nurse explained that grouping patients gave them friends and a support system.
"The most interesting part was getting to see [Taiwanese] culture from a medical standpoint"
Through this experience and similar ones, Elyse and her peers learned to widen their perspective on what “proper” nursing looks like. This was true especially in the context of the prominent religious symbolism in Taiwan.
By every bedside hung small talismans, figurines and objects believed to bless the patient and their family. If a patient didn’t have a talisman, the hospital could provide one.
This focus on the spirit extended even to the most basic checkup. If a patient came in with a visibly hurt knee, the doctor would ask them, “How is your spirit? How is your life going?”
The students did their best to embrace this culture. While translation between English and Mandarin Chinese made communication slow, they strove to greet each patient with a smile and a simple “nǐ hǎo” or “lí hó.”
They were also able to share light by engaging in special cultural practices, such as lantern-lighting.
This is a customary practice where one writes their hopes and aspirations on a paper lantern before sending it off into the sky.
As students created their lanterns, they dove into an important element of Taiwanese culture and connected with it on a deeper level. “It's so cool to see someone that doesn’t know our culture be so willing to embrace something so different,” one friendly Taiwanese man told Elyse as they worked.
Just as foundational to the culture as lantern-lighting or hanging talismans was the kindness the Taiwanese people showed each BYU nursing student.
Showered with light from each medical professional, patient, and everyone else they interacted with, the incredible love rubbed off on the students. This inspired them to make changes in their own lives.
"I loved my time in Taiwan. I realized that I need to be a better person,” remarked Eliza Wood (fifth semester). “These were the kindest people I've ever met in my whole life.”
Students left Taiwan with a greater understanding of how foundational beliefs and traditions can be in how healthcare is viewed and practiced. BYU College of Nursing will return to Taiwan in future years to make more cultural connections.