A reflection on culture over time by Baccalaureate nursing students

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Ethics
• Sociology in Medicine

Background:

• Understanding nurses' commitment to serve diverse clients is crucial for equitable healthcare.
• Assessing the evolution of nursing students' perspectives on client service is essential for professional development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate changes in nursing students' understanding of their commitment to serve all clients.
• To analyze reflective responses 18 months apart to gauge shifts in ethical and professional viewpoints.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective descriptive study design.
• Thematic analysis of 126 student reflective responses (63 pairs).
• Comparison of reflections collected 18 months apart.

Main Results:

• Three key themes emerged: 'equal treatment', 'commitment to serve all clients', and 'it's not easy'.
• Reflections indicated a developmental process in understanding commitment to serve.
• Cultural competency is viewed as an ongoing developmental process, not merely knowledge acquisition.

Conclusions:

• Nursing students' understanding of commitment to serve diverse populations evolves over time.
• The study highlights the complex, developmental nature of cultural competency in nursing.
• Reflective practice is a valuable tool for assessing and fostering ethical nursing commitments.