Listening--a nursing strategy to transcend culture

When nurses relate to patients from diverse cultures many times fears and anxieties of the patient and family, differences in communication style, differences in values, and insecurities interfere with the therapeutic nurse-patient relationship. Active listening is an intentional strategy that can provide a bridge across cultural barriers, allow cultural bias to be dealt with constructively, and can assist the nurse and patient in ensuring that patient needs are met. Active listening benefits not only the patient but the nurse and can result in the delivery of culturally competent care to the diverse patient.