Erin-Joy Bjorge
Northwest University, USA
Title: Virtual Cultural Immersion Experiences Impact on Increasing Cultural Competence Among Baccalaureate Nursing Students
Biography
Biography: Erin-Joy Bjorge
Abstract
The United States (US) is projected to be more racially and ethnically diverse in the years to come. More than half of all Americans in 2044 will belong to a minority group, and by 2060 almost one in five of the total population will be foreign born (Colby & Ortman, 2015). The changing ethnic demographics of the US will directly impact nurses in all areas of healthcare as they strive to provide culturally competent care for all clients. Nurse educators have a responsibility to provide education for students to help them become culturally competent practitioners who provide more effective care and better outcomes for their clients (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2008b). Virtual cultural immersion experiences can provide students with experiential learning. Experiential learning is a well-recognized method used to change attitudes, an essential component of cultural competence (Ballestas & Roller, 2013). The project was conducted to determine whether there was a difference in cultural competence among baccalaureate nursing students after a required virtual cultural immersion experience abroad. The null hypothesis was rejected. There was a statistically significant increase in IAPCC-SV total scores from the participant’s pretest (M = 62.48, SD = 6.79) to the student’s posttest of the cultural immersion experience (M = 68.50,SD = 5.64, t (44) = - 5.58, p < 0.000, two-tailed). The mean increase in IAPCC-SV total scores was -6.02 with a 95% confidence interval ranging from -8.20 to -3.85.