Learning Objective #1: Identify the relationships between beliefs and attitudes of senior A.D.N students towards obesity and caring for obese patients

Learning Objective #2: Identify the need for providing specific attention towards working with the obese patient from a cultural competence perspective

---

The motivation underlying this study is the investigator's interest in facilitating nurses to new levels in caring to include cultural competencies, for the obese patient population. The obesity rate in the United States has reached epidemic proportion, soon displacing tobacco out of the top spot as the leading cause of preventable deaths (Steefel, 2004). A recent on-line survey asked nurses if they think health care professionals are biased against obese patients. The results indicate that 82% of nurses who responded state they think healthcare professionals are biased against obese patients. (Nursing Spectrum, 2004) The goal in creating culturally competent nursing care for the obese patient is to promote care that fosters trust, provides comfort, and engages patients and families in the decision making process. The findings of this literature review indicate a gap describing and defining cultural competence in relation to obesity and caring for obese patients. This is a replicated pilot study, which uses a descriptive, correlational survey design. The instruments for the study are three questionnaires including; the Belief About Obese People (BAOP), the Attitudes Toward Obese Adult Patients (ATOP), and a researcher developed demographic questionnaire. The sample population is a self-selected, non-probability convenience sample of senior A.D.N. nursing students in the fifth or sixth academic quarter. Study results are anticipated by Spring quarter 2005. The specific aims of this research study include examining senior A.D.N. nursing students' beliefs regarding obesity and attitudes towards caring for obese patients,exploring relationships between beliefs, attitudes and selected demographic information and demonstrating the need for specific attention working with the obese patient from a cultural competence perspective. The study results will specifically help to shape how nurse educators and their students think about, develop, and integrate the “culture of obesity” into cultural competence curricula within nursing education, practice, and research.