Transcultural Nursing: Cultural Competence in Nurses

Providing holistic care is a basic responsibility of the nurse. Today nurses provide health care to culturally diverse client population in variety of setting and different places. Providing care to culturally diverse population has become a challenge for nurses. So nurses need to know the importance of the concept of transcultural nursing and to be competent to deliver the comprehensive care. To be culturally competent the nurse needs to understand his/her own world views and those of the patient, to avoid stereotyping and misapplication of scientific knowledge. Cultural competence is obtaining cultural information and then applying that knowledge. Knowledge of cultural information is very essential for delivery the quality of care and it improves health outcomes.