Becoming Culturally Competent: Transformative Learning in an International, Interprofessional Nursing Placement

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Abstract
Research indicates that cultural competence is lacking among registered nurses, and nurses commonly report feeling ill-equipped to care for culturally diverse patients. This qualitative study employed a blended methodological approach informed by narrative inquiry and participatory action research to explore undergraduate nursing students’ development of cultural competence during an international, interprofessional clinical placement. Ten undergraduate nursing students completed a 3-week clinical placement in partnership with preservice teachers from the Faculty of Education. Aligned with participatory action research commitments to democratizing knowledge production, students were engaged as co-authors across multiple stages of the study. This approach recognized students as knowledge holders whose experiential insights shaped the analytic process. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews, and reflexive thematic analysis was undertaken iteratively, emphasizing the co-construction of themes. Five themes were generated: (1) opportunities for personal growth, (2) relationship building to facilitate collaboration, (3) interprofessional teamwork and leadership skills, (4) cultural competence development through immersion, and (5) shifting mindsets and learning from resource-limited settings. Findings underscore how structured reflection and debriefing can deepen equity-oriented learning by enabling students to critically examine assumptions, power, and privilege. These insights support the integration of international and interprofessional placements, alongside reflective pedagogy, into undergraduate nursing curricula.

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