ENHANCING CULTURAL COMPETENCE IN STUDENT NURSES THROUGH USE OF AUDIO VISUAL SIMULATION AND REFLECTION

As a result of increasing globalisation, multiculturalism is now a key aspect of modern societies. It has been shown that different ethnic and cultural groups have diverse health beliefs and values and differing expectations of health care. This presents a challenge for health care systems to deliver culturally sensitive care to its immigrant populations. However research shows widespread dissatisfaction with health care delivery within this demographic. There is a need to educate staff to enhance their cultural competence and to combat entrenched ethnocentric attitudes and behaviour. This paper describes the use of audio visual simulation and use of reflection within a pre registration nurse education programme to debate cultural issues within a safe environment. Through use of a model of reflection and an emotive audio visual case study dealing with the issue of female genital mutilation, students are led to explore stereotypes and unearth and challenge strongly held attitudes and beliefs. This is envisaged as a first step to raising awareness of the complex nature of multiethnic care delivery and to challenge ethnocentric care. During formal evaluation of this innovation, student nurses reported increased awareness of the multicultural nature of care delivery, the need to examine their own assumptions and the success of the reflective model in aiding this process.