Cultural competence among nursing students: exploring differences across academic stages

Background: Cultural competence is essential in healthcare, especially in diverse settings like Israel, to ensure equitable care for all patients. Nurses must develop skills to respect and address the unique cultural needs of various populations. This competence is primarily acquired through education and clinical experience. Aim: The aim of the study is to examine the levels of cultural competence among Israeli nursing students, comparing those at early stages with those at advanced stages of their studies. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online survey with 225 nursing students from various institutions in Israel. Cultural competence was assessed using the Cultural Competence Assessment Tool (CCAT). Findings: Advanced students showed significantly higher cultural competence than early-stage students. Additionally, a positive correlation was found between the number of languages spoken and cultural competence levels. Discussion: The study examined differences in cultural competence between nursing students at early and advanced stages of their studies, highlighting its importance in nursing education. Developing cultural competence is essential for nurses to provide effective, patient-centered care in diverse healthcare environments. Conclusion: Cultural competence increases with education and clinical exposure. The findings highlight the need for integrating cultural competence training earlier in nursing curricula to better prepare students for diverse healthcare environments.