Differences in universal diverse orientation among nursing students in Australia

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Social Psychology
• Cultural Competence

Background:

• Globalization and migration necessitate cultural awareness in healthcare.
• Universal-Diverse Orientation (UDO) is crucial for nursing students.
• UDO involves accepting similarities and differences among people.

Purpose of the Study:

• To measure the UDO of nursing students.
• To explore factors influencing UDO in a nursing program.
• To understand the impact of background on UDO.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional survey design.
• Utilized the Miville-Guzman Universality-Diversity Scale-Short Form (M-GUDS-S).
• Surveyed 816 nursing students.

Main Results:

• Students born in non-English-speaking countries scored higher on UDO.
• Students speaking English and non-English at home had higher UDO across all subscales.
• Recent immigrants with limited English exposure showed lower comfort with differences.

Conclusions:

• Diverse student backgrounds enrich the educational environment.
• Students from non-English-speaking backgrounds positively contribute to cultural learning.
• Support is needed for recent immigrants to foster a sense of belonging.