Teaching Online Graduate Nursing Students Cultural Diversity From an Ethnic and Nonethnic Perspective.

Abstract

Introduction: Nursing programs requiring a short-term cultural diversity immersion experience can impose financial, family, and work schedule hardships for graduate students. This study aimed to measure changes in cultural practice, awareness, sensitivity, and behaviors before and after completing an online cultural diversity course without travel. Methodology: A quasi-experimental pretest/posttest design collected data from a convenience sample of graduate nursing students (n = 37) enrolled in a 16-week online course using the Cultural Competency Assessment (CAS/CCB), Culturally Congruent Care for Advanced Nursing Course Objectives (CCCAN-CLO) and Teaching/Assignment Inventory tools. Results: There was a statistically significant increase in graduate nursing students' cultural competency postcourse scores: CAS, t(36) = -5.16, p < .001; CCB, t(36) = -5.42, p < .001; CCCAN-CLO, t(36) = -6.21, p < .001. Students identified conducting cultural interviews and online discussions as the most effective teaching strategies and assignments for learning cultural diversity content. Conclusion: Effective approaches for teaching graduate nursing students' cultural diversity for practice are available for online learners.