Cultural awareness: Enhancing clinical experiences in rural Appalachia

Students often work with clients from a cultural group different than their own. This is especially true for students completing clinical practica in Appalachia, where there is a culture unique to that geographic area. To prepare for this unique setting, common cultural scenarios experienced in the clinical setting must be addressed to help provide culturally appropriate patient care while developing required clinical competencies. Although applicable to most nursing students, the author discusses culturally specific approaches to clinical care of clients from Appalachia, specifically applied to nurse practitioner students, preceptors, and clinical faculty.