RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The global shortage of healthcare workers, an ageing population, and increasing retirement within the healthcare workforce are causing social and healthcare systems to undergo significant internationalisation and cultural-linguistic diversification. Despite the crucial role educators play in imparting healthcare education and supporting the integration of professionals into these diverse environments, there is a lack of effective strategies and understanding to achieve this integration successfully. AIM: To explore and understand how social and healthcare educators self-perceive their role in supporting the integration of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) students into healthcare working environments, and to identify whether these perceptions can be categorised into specific educator profiles. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the spring of 2022 in Finland, collecting observational data from 59 social and healthcare educators across 15 universities of applied sciences providing nurse education to CALD students. Four instruments were developed to measure educators' perceptions of supporting students in healthcare work environment integration. K-means clustering analysis identified two distinct educator profiles, and statistically significant differences between these profiles were analysed using t-tests, Chi-square tests, and Mann-Whitney U tests. RESULTS: Educators perceived their highest strengths as ensuring equality for students (mean 3.81), possessing suitable characteristics (mean 3.78), and being culturally sensitive and aware (mean 3.73). They felt least confident in knowing their institution's integration practices (mean score of 2.43) and personally supporting cultural diversity among students (mean 2.93). Educators were classified into two profiles: less confident educators (mean 2.27-3.66) and confident educators (mean 2.58-3.94). Confident educators, who more effectively support CALD students, have been more involved in continuous education. CONCLUSIONS: Continuous education is critical for enhancing educators' confidence and effectiveness in supporting CALD students. Improved training and resources focused on institutional integration practices and personal support for cultural diversity are needed to address areas where educators feel less confident.
RESUMEN
AIM: This study aims to describe culturally and linguistically diverse nurses' experiences of how they transferred their competence to meet professional competence requirements in non-English speaking environment. BACKGROUND: Competence is one factor that affects culturally and linguistically diverse nurses' integration into the working environment. In this study, knowledge, skills, values and personal traits are included in the holistic competence concept. DESIGN: Qualitative. METHODS: A total of 24 culturally and linguistically diverse nurses involved in Finnish health care participated in this qualitative study. Data were collected through snowball sampling during the summer of 2021 using semi-structured interviews. The collected data were analysed using inductive content analysis. RESULTS: The data analysis revealed a total of five main categories describing culturally and linguistically diverse nurses' experiences: 1) before immigration; 2) competence requirements in the country of immigration; 3) assessment of competencies; 4) support factors; and 5) hardships. CONCLUSION: Degree recognition, colleagues' tolerance towards culturally and linguistically diverse nurses at the workplace and continuous education focusing on local language could improve culturally and linguistically diverse nurses' integration into the working environment.