ASSESSING STUDENT NURSES KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY NURSING

Britains rapid increasing diverse population and culturally sensitive care is becoming an important part of nursing and midwifery care, hence the need to explore the level of student nurses skills of cultural diversity nursing. In order to provide the patients with adequate and appropriate holistic care, the nurse must recognise differences in how diverse ethnic groups and cultures view health and sickness. Qualitative descriptive research method was used to assess the knowledge of third-year student nurses and midwives in a North West of England University. The study was conducted using a descriptive survey from a questionnaire that consists of open and closed-ended questions developed by the researcher. Investigations reveal a lack of knowledge and confidence in caring for the cultural needs of the participants patients. It was discovered that participants knowledge and skills of cultural diversity nursing was not enhanced to promote cultural diversity nursing care. The participants identified a lack of opportunities to work with multi-agencies that provide care to culturally diverse patients. These same participants report relatively high awareness of patients culture as a determining factor in achieving efficient and effective treatment regime. It is recommended that nurse educators find creative educational methods to ensure that students have sufficient clinical experience to support students to meet the patients cultural needs and promote high standard of care.