Hoitotyöntekijöiden kulttuurinen kompetenssi

University of Tampere School of Health Sciences MULDER RIIKKA Nurses’ cultural competence Master’s thesis 70 pages and 1 appendix Advisors: Meeri Koivula PhD, docent, lecturer and Katja Joronen PhD, docent, lecturer Nursing Science May 2013 The aim of this master’s thesis was to gain information about nurses’ cultural competence. The purpose of the study was to examine variables associated with nurses’ cultural competence and the level of their cultural competence. The study data was collected with a structured questionnaire that was created for this study by using systematic literature review and Papadopoulos, Tilki and Taylor (2006) model for developing cultural competence. The data was collected in spring 2013 via e-form with web link sent by email to all permanent or temporary nursing staff working in selected field of operation within a university hospital in Finland. Out of 261 nurses 86 answered the questionnaire. The study data was analysed using SPSS 21 –statistics data editor. According to this study the nursing staff’s cultural competence is quite good and study results point out that factors influencing nurses cultural competence were; continuous professional education in immigrant patients care, work experience, multicultural workforce, living abroad, immigrant patients’ meeting frequency and nurse’s age. Continuous professional training in immigrant patient care had the most positive effect in nurse’s cultural competence. Long work experience also had a positive impact on nurse’s cultural competence as did multicultural workforce and living abroad. Nurses reported the material resources in providing cultural sensitive care to be somewhat inadequate. Nurses were quite happy with leadership and human resources. Most of the nurses felt that nursing managers supported good multicultural nursing, but it did not always reflect on workload distribution as increased time or extra personnel when caring for immigrant patients. This study took place in one selected field of operation in a university hospital and in future it would be beneficial to repeat this study in other hospitals with larger nursing staff intake which would provide a wider viewpoint to nursing staff’s cultural competence. In this study nurses were asked to assess their own cultural competence. In future it would also be informative to ask immigrant patients or clients to assess the nursing staff’s cultural competence. The study results can be used when planning nursing staff’s professional development training in immigrant patient care or care needs assessment.