Paper
Wednesday, 19 July 2006
This presentation is part of : Cultural Competence in Nursing Students
Cultural Competence Among Nursing Students: Exploring Global Scores and the Influence of Personal Characteristics
Jennifer R. Cochran, BSN, Division of Nursing, Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, IN, USA
Learning Objective #1: Understand cultural competence as it relates to nursing education.
Learning Objective #2: Recognize what types of demographic data seem to impact cultural competence.
            Nurses in the United States are encountering an increasing number of diverse patients in recent years as the diversity of the population is increasing. In light of the rise of cultural diversity, cultural competence among healthcare professionals has become a priority. This is an area that has been lacking in the past and is currently an issue for nursing educators.            The purpose of this study was to assess cultural competence among nursing students at a small, private, Christian university in Midwestern United States. Campinha-Bacote’s (2005) Inventory for Assessing a Biblical Worldview of Cultural Competence Among Healthcare Professionals was the tool used to measure students’ cultural competence.            The tool was distributed to senior nursing and pre-nursing students. There were 112 surveys distributed and 109 (97%) returned with usable data. Fifty-six (51%) were pre-nursing and 53 (49%) were senior nursing students. The group was primarily comprised of White, female students.            The mean global cultural competence score for senior students was 77.93 (SD = 5.52). The mean score for pre-nursing students was 75.05 (DS = 5.60). Demographic data was analyzed to determine the influence on cultural competence. Statistical significance was found with classification in the nursing program (F = 7.26, df = 1, p = .008), completion of a transcultural nursing course (F = 7.26, df = 1, p = .008), and previous transcultural experience within the United States (F = 8.02, df = 1, p = .006).

See more of Cultural Competence in Nursing Students
See more of The 17th International Nursing Research Congress Focusing on Evidence-Based Practice (19-22 July 2006)