Cultural Competence of Pediatric Nurses in Saudi Arabia’s Northern Borders: A Cross-Sectional Design

Abstract

Introduction:

Saudi Arabia has a culturally diverse population that is rapidly expanding. Cultural competence is essential in pediatric units, where nurses work alongside parents to care for children.

Method:

A simple random sample of 132 nurses was assessed for cultural competence using the Cultural Competence Assessment (CCA) tool to evaluate the cultural competence (CC) of nurses in pediatric units in Saudi Arabia’s Northern Borders, examining demographic, cross-cultural, language, and organizational factors. Maternity and Children Hospital (MCH) in Arar and Rafha cities. Data analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to obtain means, standard deviations, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and independent sample t-tests.

Results:

The Moderate CC levels, with significant demographic differences in religion (p = .019) and education (p = .006). Cross-cultural factors influencing competence included cultural diversity (p <.001) and language differences (p = .002). Translation services were significant (p = .032), whereas organizational factors showed no differences.

Discussion:

Further studies are recommended, focusing on cultural orientation for nurses and policies to better meet patients’ cultural needs.