DOI: 10.5176/2315-4330_WNC15.82
Authors: Dr Gihane Endrawes
Abstract:
Providing culturally competent care to clients who come from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (CALD) can be a challenging experience for many nurses. Nurses may also lack understanding of the needs of people from CALD and this may negatively impact on clients’ health outcomes, well-being and satisfaction. The aim of this paper is to raise nurses’ awareness of cultural diversity and provide practical guidance on achieving culturally competent care. Method: This paper is a review of the literature on cultural competent care from 1989 to date using Medline, Ovid, Psch Info and other government databases to explore factors that may facilitate or hinder the provision of culturally congruent care to CALD clients and their families. Results: Factors that may act as hinders or facilitators for culturally sensitive care included the use of language, time, touch, eye contact and space. Nurses’ attitude towards CALD people, stereotyping and ethnocentricity are found to be barriers for cultural sensitivity. The literature revealed the importance of and the relationship between culture, care and ethics, and at times, certain actions can be ethically justified from a western perspective, but culturally considered inappropriate. Therefore, nurses need to be able to tailor their practice, according to client’s preferences, be active seeker of knowledge and provide care that is meaningful and respectful to clients’ cultural and linguistic needs. Recommendations for practice, research and education are presented.
Keywords: culture; nursing care; cultural competent care; cultural diversity
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