Abstract
BackgroundRacial and ethnic minorities suffer significantly more than others in the wake of disasters. Despite the growing recognition of the importance of culturally competent health services, systematic cultural competence training in the medical education system is still scarce, especially in the field of emergency. The current study aimed to examine the effectiveness of an online culturally informed intervention for increasing cultural competence in emergencies among nursing students.MethodsA randomized controlled trial was used to test the intervention effectiveness in increasing nursing students’ cultural competence in four domains: attitudes, knowledge, skills, and encounters. The study included 72 undergraduate nursing students recruited from two academic institutes. Participants were randomized (1:1 ratio) to an intervention (n = 34) and control group (n = 38). The study adheres to the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT). Data analysis was based on multivariate analysis of variance with repeated measures, followed by post hoc analyses with Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons.ResultsResults showed that the intervention was effective in increasing the participants’ culturally competent knowledge. The effect of the intervention on the skills domain approached significance. No group differences were identified in the attitudes and the encounters domains.ConclusionsAn online culturally informed intervention, incorporated in the curriculum, was effective in enhancing the cognitive aspect of cultural competence (especially at the basic knowledge and understanding levels), but not other domains. Our results encourage the development of future intervention programs that are based on a deep understanding of local values, needs, and preferences.
Highlights
Introduction to cultural competencyDefining cultural competence and culturally competent healthcare professionals.The reasons why ethnic, cultural, and racial minority groups are at high risk to be affected by disasters
The current study examined the effectiveness of an online intervention in increasing nursing students’ emergency cultural competence, using a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design
Participants did not present increased confidence in their ability to empower patients from diverse backgrounds or increased awareness of their own cultural background, stereotypes, or biases. These findings are consistent with previous studies [55,56,57] and systematic reviews [58, 59] that examined the efficacy of cultural competence in non-emergency contexts, showing that cultural competence training is especially effective in facilitating cultural-competence knowledge
Summary
Introduction to cultural competencyDefining cultural competence and culturally competent healthcare professionals.The reasons why ethnic, cultural, and racial minority groups are at high risk to be affected by disasters. The current study aimed to examine the effectiveness of an online culturally informed intervention for increasing cultural competence in emergencies among nursing students. The program incorporates global knowledge of emergencies with local understating of cultural norms, values, and practices It may assist in increasing nurses’ cultural competence in different settings. Nurses hold rich population-based knowledge, skills, and expertise, engage with diverse professional and community settings, and intensively collaborate with a broad range of healthcare professionals. They have a far-reaching influence on health system leaders, individuals, and families when it comes to disaster preparedness, response, and recovery [6]
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