The Level of Cultural Competence of Nursing Students Among Nursing Schools in Baguio City
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64397/Keywords:
cultural awareness, cultural knowledge, cultural sensitivity, cultural practice, cultural competenceAbstract
Introduction: Cultural competence enables nurses to provide culturally congruent care to various populations. As Baguio City is home to different ethnic and cultural groups, nursing students must develop this competence to meet the distinctive healthcare needs of multicultural and multiethnic communities. Despite integrating cultural competence into national nursing education standards, its actual implementation in curricula remains inconsistent and often insufficiently assessed. Moreover, empirical research in the Philippine context is limited, particularly in Baguio City.
Aim: To assess the cultural competence level of nursing students in terms of cultural awareness, cultural knowledge, cultural sensitivity, and cultural practice and to identify significant differences on the cultural competence level based on year level and ethnic group.
Methods: The study utilized a descriptive quantitative research design and was conducted across three universities in Baguio City. A total of 367 nursing students participated in the study, with 151 respondents from level 2, 124 from level 3, and 92 from level 4. Stratified and systematic random sampling were used to determine the sample size and to select the respondents. Data were gathered using the Cultural Competence Assessment Tool (CCATool), which was modified to suit the Philippine context. The data was analyzed using mean scores, standard deviation, Kruskal-Wallis Test, All Pair testing, and the Mann-Whitney U test.
Results: Results showed that nursing students had a high level of cultural competence, particularly in cultural awareness, knowledge, and practice which is very high level. However, a significant gap was observed in the domain of cultural sensitivity, which scored notably lower than other domains. The analysis revealed significant differences in cultural competence across year levels, specifically in cultural awareness and cultural practice, with level 4 students revealed higher cultural awareness and competence, while level 3 students showed higher cultural practice. When grouped according to ethnic group, there is a significant difference in cultural knowledge and competence, with the Kankanaey being the highest.
Conclusion: Level 2 to 4 nursing students from three universities in Baguio City generally provide adequate healthcare, including cultural beliefs, behaviors, and needs in patient care. They have an extensive awareness of their cultural identity and comprehensive knowledge of health beliefs, behaviors, power dynamics, and structural inequalities of different ethnic groups, and they apply these exceptionally in clinical practice. However, they partially recognize clients as equal partners, with some trust, acceptance, and respect in care. The year level and ethnic group of these students also affect their competencies in the four domains of cultural competence.
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