19^th Global Nursing Education Conference

Biography

Biography: Teresa Marshall

Abstract

Cultural competence and respect for others becomes especially important for us in nursing practice because we are patient advocates.  In school, we are taught to respect the rights and dignity of all patients. As the world becomes smaller and individuals and societies become more mobile, we are increasingly able to interact with individuals from other cultures.

Diversity is part of the heritage of America.  Other than the Native Americans, our ancestors were all immigrants from diverse cultures.  That diversity continues today and with the ease of travel the chance that you will encounter a patient from another culture is very likely.  Due to these factors, the development of cultural competence in nursing practice is important for us to provide the best care possible.  The first step is to become aware of other cultures and belief systems. Health care beliefs can be very different from culture to culture and country to country.  Without exposure to different beliefs and culture it can be difficult to understand patient’s behavior. 

One innovation in nursing education that addresses this need is global nursing immersions.  Global immersions can provide exposure to diverse cultures and better understanding of their beliefs.  Over the last six years Ms. Marshall has taken teams of nurses to Haiti to provide health education and training to village healthcare workers.  The nurse’s exposure to this diverse culture changed their nursing practice and better equipped them with the ability to understand and work within a different culture.