University of Oulu

Pia Hagqvist, Ashlee Oikarainen, Anna-Maria Tuomikoski, Jonna Juntunen, Kristina Mikkonen, Clinical mentors’ experiences of their intercultural communication competence in mentoring culturally and linguistically diverse nursing students: A qualitative study, Nurse Education Today, Volume 87, 2020, 104348, ISSN 0260-6917, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2020.104348

Clinical mentors’ experiences of their intercultural communication competence in mentoring culturally and linguistically diverse nursing students : a qualitative study

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Author: Hagqvist, Pia1,2; Oikarainen, Ashlee1; Tuomikoski, Anna-Maria1;
Organizations: 1Research Unit of Nursing Science and Health Management, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
2Healthcare Unit, Centria University of Applied Sciences, Finland
Format: article
Version: accepted version
Access: open
Online Access: PDF Full Text (PDF, 1 MB)
Persistent link: http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi-fe2020051335428
Language: English
Published: Elsevier, 2020
Publish Date: 2020-05-13
Description:

Abstract

Background: Intercultural communication has become increasingly important in nursing due to the cross-border mobility of patients, health professionals and students. Development of cultural competence continues to be a challenge, particularly among professionals such as educators or healthcare providers who work in professions requiring communication across cultural boundaries. Despite challenges in nursing education related to cultural diversity, competence in intercultural communication has been proven to empower students and to help them grow professionally.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe clinical mentors’ experiences of their intercultural communication competence in mentoring culturally and linguistically diverse nursing students during completion of their clinical practice.

Design: Qualitative study design.

Participants: The participants were 12 nurses who had previously mentored at least two culturally and linguistically diverse nursing students.

Methods: Data were collected during spring 2016 using semi-structured interviews of 12 mentors working in specialized nursing care at one hospital located in central Finland. Data were analyzed using deductive-inductive content analysis. The main concepts of the Integrated Model of Intercultural Communication Competence were used during the semi-structured theme interviews and during analysis. These concepts include empathy, motivation, global attitude, intercultural experience and interaction involvement.

Results: Mentors stated that empathy motivates them in the development of intercultural communication. Mentors experienced a lack of resources and support from their superiors, which caused psychological and ethical strain and reduced mentors’ motivation. Mentors openly admitted that they had experienced fear towards unknown cultures, but that this fear was reduced through positive mentoring experiences and cultural encounters.

Conclusions: Continuous education on intercultural communication competence could succeed to further develop clinical mentors’ mentoring expertise, which could have the potential to greatly benefit students, patients and staff. Such education could be designed, implemented and measured for its effect in collaboration between health care organizations and higher educational institutions.

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Series: Nurse education today
ISSN: 0260-6917
ISSN-E: 1532-2793
ISSN-L: 0260-6917
Volume: 87
Article number: 104348
DOI: 10.1016/j.nedt.2020.104348
OADOI: https://oadoi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2020.104348
Type of Publication: A1 Journal article – refereed
Field of Science: 316 Nursing
Subjects:
Copyright information: © 2020 Elsevier B.V. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/.
  https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/