Using Transcultural Nursing Education to Increase Cultural Sensitivity and Cultural Assessment Documentation by Staff in an In-Home Chronic Disease Self-Management Program.

Abstract

Despite literature indicating that culturally sensitive care promotes a positive patient environment and may help improve outcomes, limited data exist on the documentation of patients' cultural concerns in electronic medical records (EMR). The project's objective was to use an educational intervention to increase clinic staff's cultural sensitivity and cultural assessment documentation. Researchers conducted this 3-month project at a Midwestern clinic's in-home, self-care chronic disease management program. The voluntary sample of clinical staff (n = 8) received an educational intervention on transcultural nursing practices. Researchers administered the Transcultural Self-Efficacy Tool for the Multidisciplinary Healthcare Provider (TSET-MHP) to participants before and after the intervention. A pre- and postintervention EMR audit was completed on 128 charts to evaluate cultural assessment documentation. TSET-MHP cognitive and practical subscales scores increased postintervention. Affective subscales scores decreased slightly. Electronic cultural assessment documentation increased by 10%. An assessment questionnaire showed an increase in participants' cultural self-awareness and comfort with cultural assessment. An educational intervention demonstrated an increase in providers' cultural awareness and cultural assessment documentation. Transcultural nursing education may help increase providers' perceived cultural self-efficacy, which may improve cultural assessments and culturally competent care.