Predictors of cultural competence among nursing students in the Philippines: A cross-sectional study

With the continued emigration of Filipino nurses and increasing globalization, there is a need for globally competent nurses. Thus, the development of cultural competence among nursing students is critical in their preparation to assume their future responsibilities in the profession.

This study investigated the predictors of cultural competence among nursing students in the Philippines.

This is a descriptive, cross-section study.

This study included 332 Bachelor of Science in nursing students in three nursing schools situated in the northern Philippines.

The Cultural Capacity Scale was used to gather data from the respondents. The demographic characteristics and cultural background of the students were entered in a regression analysis to predict their cultural competence.

The respondents manifested appreciably good cultural competence with a mean score of 68.98±11.73. The ability to understand the beliefs of various cultural groups received the highest mean of 3.65±0.86, while the ability to identify the care needs of patients with diverse cultural backgrounds received the lowest (mean, 3.31±0.74). Living in an environment with culturally diverse people, prior diversity training, being in the latter years of the nursing program, and with experience of caring for patients from diverse cultures and special population groups, were identified as predictors, accounting for 68.1% of the variance of cultural competence.

Nursing education should devise strategies to ensure future culturally competent Filipino nurses. Considering the fact that most of the Filipino nurses will potentially work overseas, they should be well prepared to provide competent care that is culturally sensitive.