Culturally competent practice in a pre-licensure baccalaureate nursing program in the United States: a mixed-methods...

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Cultural Competence in Healthcare

Background:

• Effective integration of cultural competence in nursing curricula is vital for developing a culturally competent healthcare workforce.
• Pre-licensure nursing programs play a critical role in foundational cultural competence training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the integration of cultural concepts and culturally competent practice within a baccalaureate nursing program.
• To identify how culture and culturally competent practice are incorporated into the nursing curriculum.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods case study approach was employed.
• Data collection included student surveys (n=111), focus groups (n=9), faculty interviews (n=14), and document analysis (mission statements, handbooks, syllabi).
• Descriptive statistics and content analysis were used for data analysis.

Main Results:

• Evidence of existing cultural competence within the program was found.
• Barriers to deeper engagement with cultural issues in the curriculum were identified.
• Suggestions for improving the integration of cultural competence were proposed.

Conclusions:

• Findings offer insights into teaching and learning strategies for cultural competence.
• The study highlights curricular design considerations to enhance cultural understanding among nursing students and faculty.
• Recommendations are provided for improving cultural competence education in nursing programs.