Teaching student nurses to be culturally safe: can it be done?

Abstract

From the perspective of a third-year student nurse about to graduate in New Zealand, this article discusses the complexities of teaching and learning the concept of cultural safety for educators and student nurses. The background of the implementation of cultural safety content into New Zealand nursing curriculum is briefly discussed, and the evolution of cultural safety and its diverse meanings that has led to some confusion among student nurses. How is cultural safety taught and what are the surrounding barriers? Also, where does the student nurse fit into this process? Recommendations are then made to improve the teaching of cultural safety in the New Zealand nursing curriculum.