1 Background: The increasing ethnic diversity of patient populations necessitates culturally competent care. Nurses play a vital role in providing equitable, high-quality care to individuals from all backgrounds, highlighting the critical need for cultural competence in nursing education.
2 Aim: This study aimed to assess the level of cultural competence and identify its influencing factors among final-year undergraduate nursing students
3 Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study conducted between September 2023 and April 2024, a census sample of 146 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 25.
Result: The mean score of cultural competence was desirable (3.96 ± 0.38), with the highest scores in cultural attitude (4.35 ± 0.45) and the lowest scores in knowledge regarding health behaviors, beliefs, and physiological differences (48.0 ± 0.77). Notably, the overall cultural competence score showed no statistically significant relationship with any individual or social variables studied.
Implications for Practice: While final-year nursing students demonstrate a positive attitude towards cultural care, there is a significant gap in their knowledge of specific health-related cultural aspects. These findings underscore the imperative to strengthen the undergraduate nursing curriculum, particularly in areas related to health behaviors, beliefs, and physiological variations across cultures, to ensure that graduates are adequately prepared to deliver effective and culturally sensitive care in diverse settings.