Nurses' cultural competence in end-of-life care : a descriptive literature review

Abstract

This bachelor’s thesis delves into the critical aspect of cultural competence among nurses in providing end-of-life care, emphasizing the significance of understanding and respecting diverse cultural beliefs and practices. The purpose of this descriptive literature review was to describe nurses’ cultural competence as well as identify the challenges with cultural competence in end-of-life care. The aim was to improve knowledge and understanding about cultural competence in end-of-life care. A descriptive literature review was used comprehensively to analyze existing literature sought through databases Cinahl and ProQuest, selecting 10 relevant articles published between 2014 and 2023. The data analysis employed inductive content analysis, facilitating the uncovering of emerging patterns and themes within the data, systematically collected, and analyzed to effectively address the research questions and derive meaningful conclusions. The findings described nurses’ cultural competence as crucial for tailoring care to patients' diverse cultural backgrounds in end-of-life settings, emphasizing its role in fostering compassion, bridging communication gaps, and enhancing trust between patients and healthcare professionals. The study also revealed significant challenges hindering nurses' cultural competence in end-of-life care settings, including limited education, communication barriers, personal biases, and a lack of support. Urgent interventions such as comprehensive education, fostering dialogue, and promoting self-awareness were identified as essential to enhance cultural competence The findings highlight the challenges faced by nurses in caring for terminally ill patients from diverse cultural backgrounds, emphasizing the need for ongoing education and awareness to deliver culturally sensitive end-of-life care effectively. Nurses were recognized as pivotal in implementing cultural competency in end-of-life care, emphasizing the importance of effective communication and the need for further research to integrate these practices into healthcare systems for improved end-of-life care.