This study identified the core components of cultural competence important to nurses practising within a multicultural society such as Sweden. Acquisition of the knowledge, skills and attitudes identified should enable nurses to meet the needs of patients from different cultural backgrounds. The components of cultural competence can form the basis of nursing curricula.

Scand J Caring Sci;2010; 24; 436-444 Student nurses' experiences of communication in cross-cultural care encounters Background: Communication is a fundamental component of cross-cultural care encounters. Nurses experience communication difficulties in situations where they do not speak the same language as their patients. Communication difficulties are a major obstacle for immigrant patients and can lead to insufficient information and poor quality nursing care in contrast to the majority population. Aim: To explore student nurses' experiences of communication in cross-cultural care encounters. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were undertaken a purposive sample of 10 final year students from one university in Sweden: five participants were from a Swedish background and five from an immigrant background. Interviews explored participant's experiences of communication in cross-cultural care encounters. Interviews were tape recorded, transcribed and analysed using 'framework' approach. Results: Four themes were identified: conceptualizing cross-cultural care encounters, difficulties in communication, communication strategies and factors influencing communication. 'Culture' was equated with country of origin. Cross-cultural care encounters involved patients from a different immigrant background to the nurse. Student nurses experienced particular difficulties communicating with patients with whom they did not share a common language. This led to care becoming mechanistic and impersonal. They were fearful of making mistakes and lacked skills and confidence in questioning patients. Various strategies were used to overcome communication barriers including the use of relatives to interpret, nonverbal communication, gestures and artefacts. Other factors which influenced communication included the student's attitude, cultural knowledge acquired through education and life experience. Conclusion: Although student nurses seek creative ways to communicate with patients from different cultural backgrounds they lack skills and confidence in cross-cultural communication. Nursing programmes need to address this deficit to ensure that nurses are equipped with the knowledge and skills to provide quality care to patients from different cultural backgrounds.

To provide person-centred care and to avoid stereotyped caregiving, a better picture of traditions in family caregiving can improve a more differentiated and appropriate professional caregiving pliable with the cultural context in which it is carried out.

No abstract

The impact of shift work on nurses' daily professional behaviour and adverse health outcomes related to shift work should be well understood and considered when organizing healthcare systems. We need to identify ways to support nurses who work nights and also give attention to the caregiver's needs.

MTC offers a potential non-pharmacologic treatment that can be used in caring for PWD.

Intersectional perspectives on family involvement in nursing home care:Rethinking relatives' position as a betweenship ABSTRACT This study seeks to understand, in the context of intersectional theory, the roles of family members in nursing home care. The unique social locus at which each person sits is the result of the intersection of gender, status, ethnicity, class and is situational, shifting with the context of every encounter. A content analysis of 15 qualitative interviews with relatives of nursing home residents in Sweden was used to gain a perspective on the relationships between relatives and residents, relatives and the nursing home as an institution, and relatives and the nursing home staff. We sought to understand these relationships in terms of gendered notions of the family and the residents, which are handed down from generation to generation and thus condition who, and how, relatives should be involved in care, and the ways in which relationships change as care moves from home to nursing home. It requires knowledge and awareness that the nursing home culture is based on intersectional power structures in order for relatives to be involved in nursing home care in alternative and individual ways.

Sammendrag:The aim of this study was to identify risk factors for falls in older people living in nursing homes. Impaired cognitive function and a poor sense of orientation could lead to an increase in falls among those with impaired freedom of movement. Many accidents occur while an older person is walking or being moved. The study was carried out over four years (2000)(2001)(2002)(2003) and 21 nursing home units in five municipal homes for older people in Stockholm, Sweden, participated. A questionnaire was sent to staff nurses, including questions on fall risk assessments, falls, fractures, medication and freedom-restricting measures, such as wheelchairs with belts and bed rails. The data were aggregated and not patient-bound. The study covered 2343 reported incidents. There was a significant correlation between falls and fractures (r=0·365, p=0·004), fall risk and use of wheelchairs (r=0·406, p=0·001, safety belts (r=0·403, p=0·001 and bed rails (r=0·446, p=0·000) and between the occurrence of fractures and the use of sleeping pills with benzodiazepines (r=0·352, p=0·005). Associations were also found between fall risk and the use of anti-depressants (r=0·412, p=0·001). In clinical practice, patient safety is very important. Preventative measures should focus on risk factors associated with individuals, including their environment. Wheelchairs with safety belts and bed rails did not eliminate falls but our results support the hypothesis that they might be protective when used selectively with less anti-depressants and sleeping pills, especially benzodiazepines.Omsorgsbiblioteket har ikke tilgang til å publisere dette dokumentet i fulltekst. Kanskje ditt lokale bibliotek kan hjelpe deg, eller kanskje du kommer videre med lenken nedenfor.