Lost in translation: student perceptions of cultural competence in undergraduate and graduate nursing curricula

The rapidly changing demographics of the United States require nurses who are equipped with knowledge and skills to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse patient population. Nurse educators seek to meet this challenge through integrating cultural competence into nursing course curricula. Few studies have examined student perceptions of the integration of this material. As part of a larger school-wide assessment, this qualitative descriptive study used focus groups of doctoral and bachelor of science in nursing students to evaluate their perceptions of the integration of cultural competence in the nursing curriculum. We sought to answer two questions: (a) what the students' perceptions were and (b) what recommendations they had for improvement. The results of the focus groups yielded three themes: (a) broadening definitions, (b) integrating cultural competence, and (c) missed opportunities. Student suggestions and recommendations for enhancing cultural competence in the curricula are provided.