New Mexico nurses' cultural self-efficacy: a pilot study

Health care providers must develop a level of comfort in caring for patients/clients from cultures other than their own. A pilot study of 15 registered nurses caring for multiethnic patients in New Mexico was conducted to determine their level of self-efficacy, to test the Cultural Self-Efficacy Scale, and to determine the feasibility of a larger study. The participants were moderately confident with their knowledge of cultural concepts, cultural nursing skills, and three of the five ethnic groups' cultural life patterns. Although no conclusions can be drawn due to the small convenience sample, this study should lead to larger, more rigorous studies.