Discussion

9/3/23, 1:13 PM Sherpath - Overview -

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There is no single definition of cultural competence; however most agree that cultural competence begins with cultural awareness. Whereas cultural awareness is a cognitive process, cultural competence is a behavioral construct. It is an evolving process of acquiring the ability to provide effective nursing care to patients despite the many different ethnicities and cultures encountered. It is a lifelong process that requires intentional effort. The term cultural competence was first described in 1989 by Cross, who defined cultural competence as “a set of appropriate behaviors, attitudes, and policies which come together in an organization or among professionals and enables the organization or the professionals to work in cross-cultural situations” (Sharifi, 2019). Over time, the definition has been widely adapted and modified by different disciplines and organizations.

In nursing, cultural competence describes a nurse who provides culturally appropriate and specifically tailored care to people of all ethnicities and cultures. More specifically, having cultural competence allows the nurse to provide culturally congruent patient care that is supportive, empowering, and helps the patient with actions or decisions that are congruent with the patient’s cultural beliefs, ultimately promoting their health and well-being. Cultural competence is a dynamic process that requires lifelong commitment to being aware of one’s own cultural biases in addition to constantly expanding one’s own knowledge about the traditions, beliefs, and rituals of other cultures.

9/3/23, 1:13 PM Sherpath - Overview -

https://eols.elsevier.com/#/contentPlayer/109P2TT30FP?courseId=10V6LW6HJPB&moduleId=10XKPFGKSB7&lessonId=10MHCT03GN6&screenId=… 2/2