Experiences of student nurses in a multicultural nurse-patient encounter

South African nurses have accepted the challenge that was brought about by the Health Reform Policy of 1990 which decreed that health service centres be opened to people of all cultural and racial groups. However, studies on transcultural; nursing have revealed that, problems have occurred during a multicultural nurse patient encounter. Most of these studies have approached the problems from the patients point of view, this study was therefore an attempt to look into the problem from the nurses point of view. The researcher was interested in exploring the sources of such problems, their effects on the nurse patient relationship as well as to find out from the respondents, the possible solutions to such problems. Through focus group interviews (FGI), respondents who had experienced problems with culturally different patients were given an opportunity to reflect on those experiences, report on these and recommend possible solutions. The results revealed that differing perceptions about the encounter between the nurse and the patient, previous experience which led to the formation of stereotypes, was the major source of problems. The results further revealed that stereotype relevant information, if used during the nurse patient encounter, led to inadequate care delivery. The solution to the problem according to the results, would be a positive approach to the problem of cultural differences.