The impact of service-learning on cultural competence.

TLDR

Service-learning introduces nursing students to clients from diverse cultural backgrounds, raising awareness of cultural issues in health care and teaching culturally appropriate care. The study used the Transcultural Self‑Efficacy Tool to assess self‑perceived cultural competence in 60 nursing students after service‑learning projects, analyzing pre‑ and post‑test total and subscale scores. Paired‑samples t tests revealed significant increases in total scores and in each cognitive, practical, and affective subscale from pre‑ to post‑test.

Abstract

Service-learning provides an excellent pedagogy for introducing students to clients of different cultural backgrounds, helping students become aware of the issues these clients face related to culture and health care, and teaching culturally appropriate care. The Transcultural Self-Efficacy Tool was used to evaluate self-perceived cultural competence in a convenience sample of 60 baccalaureate nursing students enrolled in a community health nursing course following the completion of service-learning projects with local and international communities. Pre- and posttests were analyzed based on total scores and subscale (cognitive, practical, and affective) scores. A paired-samples t test compared the mean pretest total score to the mean posttest total score, which demonstrated a significant increase. In addition, paired-samples t tests demonstrated a significant increase in each subscale.