Transcultural psychiatric nursing: diagnostic and treatment issues

1. Psychiatric nurses are exposed to individuals and families experiencing culture-bound illnesses in which symptomatology closely mimics psychiatric problems. 2. Because of the great potential of misdiagnosis among culturally diverse groups as having a mental illness, a cultural assessment must be done. 3. The culturally competent model of care is a conceptual model of nursing care that views cultural awareness, knowledge, skill, and encounters as components of cultural competence. Cultural competence is viewed as a process in which the psychiatric nurse strives to effectively work with individuals and families from culturally diverse backgrounds.