As the United States becomes increasingly multicultural, education must address the topic of multiculturalism so that degree holders will be properly prepared to serve the needs of our diverse society. Nurses interact with a diverse range of people on any given day. With an awareness of multicultural populations, nurses will be able to provide more effective and compassionate care.
While no nurse can be fully educated on all the intricacies of every culture she or he will encounter, it’s important to at least be aware that there are differences between cultures in a healthcare context. One can no longer take a one-size-fits-all approach. It is imperative to provide multicultural nursing care.
What Do Transcultural and Multicultural Mean?
The Cambridge Dictionary defines “multicultural” as “including people who have many different customs and beliefs,” while Merriam-Webster defines “transcultural” as “involving, encompassing, or extending across two or more cultures.”
In the nursing context, RegisteredNursing.org defines transcultural nursing as a “nursing specialty which focuses on global cultures and comparative cultural caring, health, and nursing phenomena” with the aim of providing “culturally congruent nursing care.” The uniting theme between transcultural and multicultural nursing is that patients may be different kinds of people from diverse backgrounds, and the nursing profession must acknowledge and respond to their unique needs.
Why Transcultural and Multicultural Nursing Are Important
While the concept of transcultural nursing dates back to at least the 1950s, population growth and immigration have made it more important now than ever. A variety of factors, including ethnicity, culture, religious beliefs, and gender identity, influence a patient’s choices regarding healthcare. A nurse must consider these when administering care or when trying to help a patient make decisions about their own care.
A culturally competent nurse is one who understands the concerns, sensitivities, and risk factors inherent in various cultures. With proper instruction in a university-level program such as RN to BSN, you can become a culturally competent nurse with the ability to identify possible barriers and find effective ways to avoid or overcome them. These skills are critical to being a nurse today, both in terms of the quality of patient care you provide and for your employment potential.
Overview of UT Permian Basin’s Online RN to BSN Program
The University of Texas Permian Basin’s online RN to BSN program was designed with transcultural and multicultural nursing in mind. This CCNE-accredited program prepares nurses for leadership and decision-making roles in patient care. As you progress through the program, you’ll achieve a deep understanding of evidence-based practice, patient-centered care, and—as we’re discussing here—methods for meeting the diverse needs of multicultural patients.
BSN Courses That Focus on Culture
Our online RN to BSN program has three core courses that directly address multicultural and transcultural nursing. Those courses, and their official catalog descriptions, are:
- Transcultural Nursing
Knowledge of the basic nursing practices and specialized medical and nursing terminology needed to communicate effectively concerning health status and health/illness management of Spanish-speaking patients and families. Evaluate nursing decisions and nursing actions needed to perform patient history, patient teaching, medication administration, discharge planning, and explanation of procedures and therapy congruent with the needs of Spanish speaking patients. Identify when to use a medical interpreter.
- Multicultural Public Health Nursing
Analysis of formal and informal community systems/resources and healthcare delivery systems in public health; emphasis on cultural influences on health of individuals, families, communities, and populations. Community partnerships, interprofessional communication to help families modify lifestyle and community resources to promote health. Roles, strategies, and resources for emergency management in the community.
- Multicultural Public Health Nursing: Clinical
Application of evidence-based nursing practice skills to community/public health situations addressing cultural diversity, at-risk families, and vulnerable populations; nursing collaboration and interprofessional communication to explore public health systems to promote health in communities. Community assessment and planning in non-emergent and emergent situations. Advocacy for access to the healthcare system.
The Advantages of Completing Your BSN Online
Earning your BSN online from UT Permian Basin has benefits beyond building your nursing proficiency and increasing your ability to provide multicultural nursing care. Our program features asynchronous, 100% online classes that enable you to finish your coursework at your own pace, from any location where you have internet access, at any time of the day. No campus visits are required for this program—including the three required clinical courses. If you’re currently working and/or trying to manage family responsibilities, you’ll find this the most flexible way to earn your BSN degree.
Our clinical courses enable you to work closely with an established professional to develop vital experience, acquire knowledge and skills, and put theories you’ve learned into practice within different professional settings. Clinical courses are conducted in-person with a preceptor that you choose, the primary requirement being that they’ve completed a BSN and are already working in a position of nursing leadership. All the details and requirements for preceptors will be provided to you during your first seminar course.
Our online RN to BSN program features an accelerated format that allows you to complete some courses in as little as seven weeks. You may also choose from six program start times per year to suit your schedule and program completion goals. All courses within the program are taught by the very same acclaimed faculty who teach them in physical classrooms here on the UT Permian Basin campus. Upon graduating from the program, you will receive an identical degree to the one that students who have attended class in-person on our campus receive. Degrees do not specify whether the program was completed on campus or online.
Successful modern nurses are skilled in transcultural and multicultural nursing. Develop your own expertise in an online RN to BSN program from UT Permian Basin.
Sources:
https://www.registerednursing.org/specialty/transcultural-nurse/