Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 May 7;24(1):497.
doi: 10.1186/s12912-025-03124-7.

The cultural competence of nurses and its relationship to socio-demographic factors: a cross-sectional survey

Rita Urbanavičė  1 , Rabie Adel El Arab  2   3 , Donatas Austys  2 , Marija Skvarčevskaja  2 , Natalja Istomina  2
Affiliations

The cultural competence of nurses and its relationship to socio-demographic factors: a cross-sectional survey

Rita Urbanavičė et al. BMC Nurs. .

Abstract

Introduction: Escalating migration flows necessitate an intensified focus on the cultural competence of nurses, as culturally competent care is critical for accurately assessing and addressing the needs of patients from diverse backgrounds. Despite its importance, the cultural competence of nurses remains suboptimal and is influenced by various socio-demographic factors.

Aim: To evaluate the cultural competence of nurses in Lithuania and examine its relationship with socio-demographic characteristics.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1,278 nurses across primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare institutions in Lithuania's public and private sectors. Cultural competence was assessed using the Nurse Cultural Competence Scale, and statistical analyses were performed to compare competence levels and determine associations with socio-demographic factors.

Results: Overall, 97.2% of nurses rated their cultural competence as moderate, with only 17.0% attaining a high level (mean score 3.51 ± 0.07; total score 102.88 ± 23.35). The highest scores were observed in the Cultural Awareness (3.94 ± 0.16) and Cultural Sensitivity (3.70 ± 0.28) subscales, while Cultural Knowledge (3.30 ± 0.23) and Cultural Skills (3.22 ± 0.28) were lower. High cultural competence was significantly associated with younger age, university education, proficiency in foreign languages, specialized training, employment in the private healthcare sector, work in urban or rural areas, shorter work experience, and clinical experience with asylum seekers and refugees (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: The findings indicate that Lithuanian nurses demonstrate moderate cultural competence, with marked deficits in theoretical knowledge and practical skills. This underscores the imperative for enhanced cultural training, indicating that cultural training is necessary to improve the cultural competence of nurses.

Clinical trial number: Not applicable.

Keywords: Cultural competence; Lithuanian nurses; Migrants.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The design and completion of this study were guided by the Declaration of Helsinki [45], the Guidelines for the Assessment of Compliance with Research Ethics approved by the Office of the Ombudsman for Academic Ethics and Procedures of the Republic of Lithuania, and the following ethical principles: trustworthiness, integrity, respect, and accountability [46]. This study has been approved by the Ethical Committee of the Department of Nursing of the Institute of Health Sciences of the Faculty of Medicine of Vilnius University (24.3.2022, No. (1.3)150000-KP-47). Written permission has been obtained from the author of the NCCS to translate and use the questionnaire in Lithuanian. All participants were informed about the aim of the study, that their involvement in the research was entirely voluntary, and that they could withdraw from participation at any time. Written consent was obtained from each participant before the study was conducted. All questionnaires were anonymous, and no names or identifying details were asked. Paper questionnaires were distributed and collected in sealed envelopes to ensure confidentiality. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Similar articles

See all similar articles

References

    1. Jongen C, McCalman J, Bainbridge R. Health workforce cultural competency interventions: a systematic scoping review. BMC Health Serv Res. 2018;18(1):232. 10.1186/s12913-018-3001-5. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Sharifi N, Adib-Hajbaghery M, Najafi M. Cultural competence in nursing: A concept analysis. Int J Nurs Stud. 2019 Nov;99:103386. 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2019.103386 - PubMed
    1. El Arab RA, Urbanavičė R, Jakavonytė-Akstinienė A, Skvarčevskaja M, Austys D, Mateos JT. and all. Health and social needs of asylum seekers and Ukrainian refugees in Lithuania: A mixed-method protocol. Front. Public Health. 2023;10, art. no. 1025446: [1–8]. 10.3389/fpubh.2022.1025446 - PMC - PubMed
    1. El Arab RA, Urbanavičė R, Jakavonytė-Akstinienė A, Skvarčevskaja M, Austys D, Mateos JT. and all. Cultural competency among Lithuanian nurses and preparedness to work with intercultural immigrants: A quantitative study protocol. Front Public Health. 2022;10, art. no. 1025508: [1–6]. 10.3389/fpubh.2022.1025508 - PMC - PubMed
    1. El Arab RA, Urbanavičė R, Jakavonytė-Akstinienė A, Skvarčevskaja M, Austys D, Briones-Vozmediano E. We want our freedom back, that’s our only need: a qualitative study of health and social needs among asylum seekers and undocumented migrants crossing the borders from Belarus to Lithuania. Front Public Health eISSN. 2024;12:2296–565. 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1371119. - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources