Using Transcultural Nursing Education to Increase Cultural Sensitivity and Cultural Assessment Documentation by Staff in an In-Home Chronic Disease Self-Management Program

Background: Despite literature indicating that culturally sensitive care promotes a positive patient environment and may help improve outcomes, limited data exist on the documentation of patients' cultural concerns in electronic medical records (EMR). Objective: The project's objective was to use an educational intervention to increase clinic staff's cultural sensitivity and cultural assessment documentation. Methods: Researchers conducted this 3-month project at a Midwestern clinic's in-home, self-care chronic disease management program. The voluntary sample of clinical staff (n = 8) received an educational intervention on transcultural nursing practices. Researchers administered the Transcultural Self-Efficacy Tool for the Multidisciplinary Healthcare Provider (TSET-MHP) to participants before and after the intervention. A pre- and postintervention EMR audit was completed on 128 charts to evaluate cultural assessment documentation. Results: TSET-MHP cognitive and practical subscales scores increased postintervention. Affective subscales scores decreased slightly. Electronic cultural assessment documentation increased by 10%. An assessment questionnaire showed an increase in participants' cultural self-awareness and comfort with cultural assessment. Conclusions: An educational intervention demonstrated an increase in providers' cultural awareness and cultural assessment documentation. Implications for Nursing: Transcultural nursing education may help increase providers' perceived cultural self-efficacy, which may improve cultural assessments and culturally competent care.