Evaluation of a cultural competence course

Area of Science:

• Public Health Nursing
• Cultural Competence Education
• Healthcare Professional Development

Background:

• Recognized gap in integrated theoretical and experiential cultural competence training for public health nurses (PHNs).
• Essential role of culturally competent services in addressing diverse client needs.
• Need for evidence-based educational interventions to enhance nursing practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of an integrated course designed to increase cultural competence among PHNs.
• To examine changes in cultural competence levels over time using a mixed-methods approach.
• To evaluate the course's impact on the five dimensions of Campinha-Bacote's model.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a mixed-methods design combining quantitative and qualitative data.
• Employed a one-group repeated measures design with 76 participating PHNs.
• Assessed changes in cultural competence levels before and after the educational intervention.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements in the overall level of cultural competence among participating PHNs were observed.
• Quantitative findings demonstrated statistically significant changes in participants' cultural competence.
• Qualitative data provided complementary insights, enriching the understanding of the intervention's impact.

Conclusions:

• The integrated cultural competence course effectively enhanced the skills of public health nurses.
• The findings support the use of such educational programs to foster culturally competent nursing care.
• The study highlights the importance of addressing cultural competence in nursing education and practice.