Intra-Professional Cultural Competence: Exploring a Strategy to Support Internationally Qualified Nurses and Australia’s Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Nursing Workforce

Abstract

This four-part thesis examined the experiences of internationally qualified nurses (IQNs) and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) nurses in Australia through exploratory descriptive research. It aimed to determine the barriers and facilitators to the professional integration of IQNs in Australia; identify the cultural and linguistic characteristics of the Australian nursing workforce; ascertain how regulators address the barriers and facilitators to IQN integration; explore how educational and regulatory experts view the elements of Intra-professional Cultural Competence (IPCC) in Australia; and analyse the experiences of the elements of IPCC in one nursing school.

Four studies were undertaken: Study One -a systematic review- identified challenges to IQN professional integration. Study Two -a workforce data analysis- identified that when IQNs and overseas-born locally qualified nurses are included, CALD nurses may represent 43% of the Australian nursing workforce. Study Two developed the concept of IPCC to explore the intra-professional applicability of cultural competence. IPCC was defined by four elements: mutual collaboration and professional relationships; prevention of racism and discrimination (R&D) and bullying and harassment (B&H); respecting values, attitudes and beliefs of individuals from different cultures; and responding appropriately to cross-cultural interactions with colleagues. These elements were further examined in Studies Three and Four.

Study Three -an examination of nursing regulatory documents- demonstrated the presence of IPCC elements in these documents. Study Four -the interviews with educational and regulatory experts, academics and clinical educators- confirmed that, while IPCC elements were recognised in both regulatory documents and educational practices, R&D and B&H also coexist. The thesis concludes with a discussion of recommendations relevant to the integration of IPCC and implications for future research.