The Culturally Conscious Nurse: Diversity in Nursing Practice

In today’s increasingly diverse healthcare environment, nurses care for patients, families, and colleagues from a wide range of cultural, ethnic, social, religious, and personal backgrounds. Cultural competence refers to the ongoing development of the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors needed to provide safe, respectful, and effective care to all individuals. This CNE/CE course introduces nurses to the core concepts of cultural diversity and cultural competence and examines how culture influences communication, health beliefs, decision-making, and workplace interactions. Learners will explore the historical foundations of cultural diversity, relevant legal and ethical considerations related to discrimination and equity, and the importance of inclusion in promoting positive patient and employee outcomes.

The course also provides practical examples of cultural differences in the workplace, including disability, age and generational perspectives, education, personal background, country of origin or ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, and religion or spirituality. Nurses will gain strategies to strengthen communication, listening, respect, and self-awareness while reducing assumptions and blame in cross-cultural interactions. The course concludes with an emphasis on the value of ongoing education and organizational support in building culturally responsive healthcare environments and promoting patient-centered, equitable care.