Intercultural sensitivity in the nursing care

The accession of Poland to the European Union resulted in the opening of borders, the intensified migration of people from many culturally diverse
countries, the increase in the number of immigrants and refugees assimilating in Poland and the use of medical services. Such a situation requires
from nurses not only the perception of a patient from the point of view of their health problems, and biological, psychological and social needs, but
also considering their spiritual needs, that is their religion or beliefs, as well as social-cultural backgrounds. Thus, knowledge about cultural differences
of healthcare recipients and developing intercultural sensitivity of nurses and other healthcare professionals is indispensable.

The aim of the study was an attempt to familiarize nurses of the meaning of the intercultural sensitivity in charge of patients.

On the work one used the method of the analysis of the literature and the model of the intercultural sensitivity of Milton Bennett.
Learning intercultural sensitivity should refer to present and future nurses, people who design and implement programmes on intercultural education.
It also refers to people who experience cultural diversity in professional groups such as obstetricians, paramedics and doctors. Milton Bennett’s model
of intercultural sensitivity can be useful in the interpretation of behaviours and attitudes of healthcare professionals as well as of patients.

The attitude of intercultural sensitivity should be one of the elements of professional competencies useful in providing professional healthcare
the conditioned culturally and developed in the process of graduate and post-graduate education of medical students, including
nurses. Training programmes which promote cultural awareness in nurses and use active methods of teaching and rules of skills training
should be designed and implemented.

Nursing Topics 2011; 19 (2): 253–258