A concept analysis of cultural competence

Duan-Ying Cai

International Journal of Nursing Sciences · 2016 · 122 citations · 23 references

DOIFull text

Open access

Concepts

TL;DR

Cultural competence is a progressively developed capacity of nurses to deliver safe, quality care to clients from diverse cultural backgrounds, encompassing awareness, sensitivity, knowledge, skill, and a dynamic process, with antecedents of diversity, encounter, and desire, benefits for clients, nurses, and organizations, and primarily measured by self‑reported tools. The study aims to clarify and reduce ambiguities in the concept of cultural competence to promote consistent use in nursing dialogue, research, and practice. The authors employed Walker and Avant’s concept‑analysis method. The analysis clarified nurses’ understanding of cultural competence, providing a foundation for designing rigorous instruments and research.

Abstract

To clarify the meaning and reduce ambiguities of the concept cultural competence, and promote consistency in using the concept in nursing dialog, research, and practice. Using Walker and Avant's method of concept analysis. Cultural competence is the gradually developed capacity of nurses to provide safe and quality healthcare to clients of different cultural backgrounds. Its defining attributes are cultural awareness, cultural sensitivity, cultural knowledge, cultural skill, and dynamic process. Antecedents are cultural diversity, cultural encounter, and cultural desire. Consequences involve three beneficiaries, as follows: clients, nurses, and healthcare organizations. Empirical referents are primarily consisted in self-reported tools. The understanding of cultural competence of nurses that emerged in this concept analysis will contribute to the development of a rigorous design of instruments or research.

References

23