Evaluation of nursing students’ perceptions of their cultural care competency: A mixed method study in Taiwan

Growing cultural diversity among immigrants has challenged health care practice in Taiwan. This study used mixed methods to evaluate how the implementation of a course on cultural competence embedded in a nursing course affected nursing students' perceptions of their cultural care competency. An evaluation survey with a quantitative questionnaire comprising pre- and post-test measures of self-perceived cultural care competency was implemented for 48 participants at the commencement and completion of the course. A focus group interview (n = 10) was conducted and a thematic approach applied to analyze qualitative data. The results found a significant improvement in self-perceived cultural care competency (t = 7.15, p < 0.001). Two themes emerged from the qualitative analysis: (1) the thought-provoking nature of the course and (2) appreciation for the multiple learning strategies of the course. The findings suggest that embedding cultural competence education in nursing courses is essential to improving nursing students’ perceptions of their cultural care competency.