Assessing Levels and Influencing Factors of Cultural Competence in Final-Year Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: The increasing ethnic and cultural diversity of patient populations necessitates the provision of culturally competent care. Nurses play a pivotal role in delivering equitable and high‑quality healthcare to individuals from diverse backgrounds, underscoring the importance of integrating cultural competence into nursing education.Aim: This study aimed to assess the level of cultural competence and its associated factors among final‑year undergraduate nursing students.Method: In this cross-sectional study conducted between September ۲۰۲۳ and April ۲۰۲۴, a census sample of ۱۴۶ final-year nursing students was enrolled. Data were collected using a two-part questionnaire: a demographic information sheet and the Medical Students' Cultural Competence Assessment Questionnaire, which measures cultural attitude, self-awareness, knowledge of health behaviors, and awareness of cultural diversity. Data were analyzed using SPSS version ۲۵.Results: The mean score of cultural competence was desirable (۳.۹۶ ± ۰.۳۸), with the highest scores in cultural attitude (۴.۳۵ ± ۰.۴۵) and the lowest scores in knowledge regarding health behaviors, beliefs, and physiological differences (۴۸.۰ ± ۰.۷۷). Notably, the overall cultural competence score showed no statistically significant relationship with any individual or social variables studied. Implications for Practice: Although final‑year nursing students demonstrated favorable attitudes toward culturally responsive care, gaps remain in knowledge‑based domains. These findings highlight the need to strengthen undergraduate nursing curricula—particularly in areas related to culturally influenced health behaviors, beliefs, and physiological variations—to better prepare graduates for culturally diverse clinical environments.

کلیدواژه ها:

Culture ، cultural competence ، Cultural diversity ، Nurses ، Nursing students