The need for cultural competence education in nursing degree programmes: comparative perspectives

Objective: The purpose of this study was to define and compare the experiences, feelings and needs of Slovenian and Croatian nursing students in relation to the concept of transcultural nursing. Design: A qualitative descriptive research design was used. Methods: A purposive sample of 15 Slovenian and 15 Croatian nursing students was selected. The data were collected through an open-ended questionnaire and analysed using the method of content analysis. Results: Three categories were identified: (1) understanding interculturalism; (2) recognition of the importance of intercultural awareness; (3) integration of cultural content into the curriculum. Conclusions: The opinions held by Slovenian and Croatian students on the way to integrate cultural content into the curriculum differ; the former favour including this content in existing courses, while the latter argue in favour of a separate course. Designing a study programme in nursing is a demanding task to which both students and faculty are committed.