One Year On: Cultural Competence of Australian Nursing Students Following International Service-Learning

Abstract

Copyright 2019, SLACK Incorporated. BACKGROUND: The effective delivery of health care to the growing multicultural population within Australia is a challenge for the nursing profession. A breakdown in cross-cultural communication and understanding, which stems from the tendency of nurses to project their own culturally specific values and behaviors onto patients and colleagues from other countries, can contribute significantly to non-compliance in migrant populations and conflict in collegial relationships. METHOD: The Inventory for Assessing the Process of Cultural Competence-Revised was administered to Australian undergraduate nursing students immediately before, immediately after, and 12 months after returning from international clinical placement. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential functions of SPSS. RESULTS: Overall cultural competence increased immediately following the placement and was sustained over time. However, there were significant differences among the five constructs measured. CONCLUSION: International clinical placements enhance cultural competence but targeted activities need to be undertaken pre-placement to develop specific aspects, in particular cultural desire. [J Nurs Educ. 2019;58(1):17-26.].