The transcultural nursing concept: a study of nursing students in Turkey

Cultural differences are known to be pronounced in Turkey, and some difficulties are encountered in patient care. Cultural sufficiency in providing health care to the patients is of great importance in satisfactory care delivery.

To determine the cultural diversity that the students experienced between the patients and themselves while providing care to patients. Knowledge of transcultural nursing was also investigated.

This was a descriptive study. The population comprised of 650 undergraduate students attending the nursing schools of three universities. A total of 622 students were included in the sample. The survey method was used for data collection. Percentages and chi-square test were used.

Most of the students (85.5%) had experienced cultural differences while giving care to their patients and 73.8% did not know the definition of this concept. The issues where cultural differences were experienced to the highest degree were differences in dialect and pronunciation (53.4%), differences of language (37%), traditions and customs of the individual (30.7%), and religious belief and sect (30.2%). It was found that the grade the students were in had a significant effect on the experience of cultural differences (P<0.05).

The majority of students experience cultural diversity in patient care. It is thought that transcultural care placed in curriculum even as a separate course will guide nursing students in all stages of patient care. Thus, the effect of cultural diversity in patient care can be minimized with the help of education.