Nursing Students' Perception of Caring for Culturally Diverse Patients: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study.

BACKGROUND: This study examined the phenomenon of prelicensure nursing students caring for culturally diverse patients. METHOD: Individual interviews were conducted with undergraduate nursing students using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach. Qualitative research experts conducted the interviews, transcribed the data, and followed van Manen's methodology for analysis. RESULTS: Eleven nursing students participated in the study. Data were collected from April to August 2022. The average length of the student interviews was 32 minutes. Four themes were identified: (1) communication issues; (2) access to care; (3) nurse background; and (4) trust and respect. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the importance of caring for culturally diverse patients. Policymakers and health care leaders can use the findings to support legislative proposals for enhancing culturally diverse patient safety and health equity. Based on these findings, nurse educators and preceptors can adapt their clinical teaching approaches accordingly, and nurse managers can benefit from the results when hiring new graduate nurses. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(6):373-379.].

The empathy level and caring behaviors perceptions of nursing students: A cross-sectional and correlational study.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to investigate the empathy level and caring behaviors perceptions of nursing students. METHOD: This cross-sectional and correlational study was conducted with 276 nursing students. RESULTS: The mean Empathic Tendency Scale score was 62.71 ± 5.10 (min. 20 to max. 100), indicating a low level of empathy. The mean of the Caring Assessment Questionnaire was 5.42 ± 0.80 (min. 1 to max. 7), showing a good perception of caring behaviors. There was a positive, low, and significant relationship between empathy and caring behaviors (r = 0.286, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study revealed that nursing students have low-level empathy and high-level caring behaviors. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Throughout the educational process, the students' caring competencies, which include empathy and caring behaviors, developed. It is suggested that humanistic and value-oriented pedagogical approaches be incorporated into nursing curricula.