Comparison of Two Methods of Teaching Culture to Bachelor of Science in Nursing Students

Abstract

Background: The nursing literature examining effective methods to teach transcultural self-efficacy demonstrates inconsistent findings. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a nursing stand-alone culture course with concurrent field experiences compared with the standard integrated culture content in the curriculum in increasing transcultural self-efficacy in nursing students. Method: This quasi-experimental, static-group comparison used the Transcultural Self-Efficacy Tool to measure outcomes. The treatment group consisted of first-semester nursing students ( n = 53) enrolled in a pilot 2-credit culture course. The control group consisted of graduating senior nursing students ( n = 19) who had culture integrated throughout the curriculum. Results: The posttest of the first-semester students in the treatment group scored higher than either their pretest or the graduating senior students (control group). Conclusion: The stand-alone culture course had a greater positive effect than the integrated culture content on students' transcultural self-efficacy. [ J Nurs Educ. 2018;57(10):609–613.]

Nursing Student Differences in Transcultural Self-Efficacy by Culture Curriculum: A Longitudinal Study

“…The findings of Stiles et al (2018) indicated that an ELNCC was beneficial in developing nursing students’ TSE immediately following the course. This study followed the same experimental group of students through program exit.…”

“…In both the control and experimental groups, the students' levels of CC and CAS decreased over time; however, those students who took the course maintained significantly higher CC and CAS levels over time than students who did not take the course, indicating that some long-term benefits were achieved (Lin et al, 2015). Stiles et al (2018) examined the immediate effects of an entry-level nursing culture course (ELNCC) with practical experiences on student's TSE. They used a pretest-posttest design and administered Jeffreys's TSET to first-semester nursing students at the start of the ELNCC and then again at the end of the course.…”

“…The purpose of this study was to test the effects of an ELNCC on students' TSET scores over a 2-year period and to compare the results with those of a graduating class who did not have the ELNCC. The first objective was to determine if students sustained the higher levels of TSE found at the end of an ELNCC (Stiles et al, 2018) over the remaining 18 months of the program. The second objective of this study was to compare the levels of TSE at program exit (graduation) in the experimental group versus the control group of nursing students who did not take the course.…”

“…Other than Stiles et al (2018) who measured the effects of a culture course with practical experiences pre- and immediately post-course compared with a control group, no studies were located that examined the effects of this combined strategy on TSE. Numerous studies have demonstrated the benefits of the development of CC using strategies such as study abroad and specific courses or course content.…”

“…Stiles et al (2018) examined the immediate effects of an entry-level nursing culture course (ELNCC) with practical experiences on student’s TSE. They used a pretest–posttest design and administered Jeffreys’s TSET to first-semester nursing students at the start of the ELNCC and then again at the end of the course.…”