Cultural perceptions and clinical experiences of nursing students in Eastern Turkey

Aim: This study explored Turkish nursing students' perceptions of providing care to patients culturally different from themselves. Background: Increasing migration will increase the need for nurses to provide care across cultural groups. Methods: Twenty one students in the second year of a 4-year nursing programme participated in 3 focus groups. Data were analysed using directed content analysis. Research questions were based on Campinha-Bacote's model. Results: Three themes were identified: perceived cultural barriers, perceived cultural facilitators and identifying culturally sensitive actions. Generally, students were able to define culture but were unable to say how culture would affect nursing practice. Discussion: Students were unprepared to practice in a multicultural setting. Cultural awareness is insufficient for determining how to respond to cultural differences. Limitations: The study is limited by its restriction to a single school of nursing and a single curriculum. Conclusions: The multiple, ongoing political, religious and ethnic conflicts will require nurses to provide care to patients from other cultural groups, in some instances to people identified as adversaries to the group the nurse may represent. Understanding cultural differences is insufficient to do this effectively. Implications for nursing education: Learning culturally competent care requires opportunities to provide, be guided through and reflect on care to individuals from different cultural groups. Implications for organizational and public policies: Standards for culturally competent care should be adopted by all care delivery settings. Public and organizational policies openly declaring healthcare settings as cultural safe zones, and explicit organizational commitment to culturally safe care, would set clear expectations for providers and help ensure a positive patient experience.