Our world is bursting with culture. Language, food, clothing, history, pastimes, architecture, music, and more all morph from region to region, creating a vibrant and ever-expanding tapestry that unites us all. This is a beautiful thing that gives richness and depth to life, but it can also be complicated. A near-infinite number of cultures means a steep learning curve when trying to obtain a holistic worldview, and in the nursing field, being culturally aware can be the difference between good and bad medical care.
That’s why BYU nursing students strive to educate themselves not only on the procedures they’ll perform, but on the patients they will serve. A group of nursing students and faculty had the opportunity to attend the recent Transcultural Nursing Society conference in Salt Lake City, a yearly event where nursing professionals from around the world gather to gain and give knowledge to others about different traditions and lifestyles.
Dr. Petr Ruda, a BYU College of Nursing associate professor, and Transcultural Nursing Society board member, said that around 50 countries were represented this year, including Guatemala, Spain, Israel, Thailand, and Japan! Presentations given throughout the conference had varied topics including one on connecting health literacy to Native American culture, and another given by a group who spent time training Guatemalan midwives about how to improve childbirth care in their communities. All were united by a common goal: to understand patients and serve them where they are, physically and culturally. BYU nursing professor, Dr. Matt Anderson said that “the attendees had a genuine desire to bless their fellow man and better the world.”
According to Dr. Ruda, ten BYU faculty were able to present their work, along with around 20 BYU undergrads. Considering that the acceptance rate for groups that applied to present was around 20%, BYU was very well-represented at the conference. Furthermore, the undergrads were some of the only ones in attendance.
BYU nursing students presented posters on recent projects in Zambia, Paraguay, and more. There was also a presentation from the Spanish for Nurses Society by Dr. Anderson and three students about their efforts to serve the Latino population. Each presentation was very well-received, and the professional audience gave them feedback as to how to take their work and presentations to the next level. Several posters can be seen at the bottom of this article.
The conference was a great opportunity for the nursing students, not just because they learned about other cultures, but because they were able to practice sharing their findings with others. A third-semester student named Bryce Lewis said that this experiential learning aspect is central to the BYU nursing education. “We have really good staff who want us to get out there and share the things we’re learning,” he said enthusiastically. Petr Ruda gushed about how positively the students were received by the professionals, with groups getting invitations to present their work at such places as Duquesne University and even Tel Aviv, Israel as soon as possible. In Dr. Ruda’s eyes, this exposure to the professional world was the true value for students. “It makes you feel really good to see how BYU supports education for nursing students by letting them go and disseminate their work,” he remarked. “I don’t know what price you put on networking like that,”
"Learning to take care of patients as the Savior [would] often means taking care of patients that don’t always look, act, or think like us."
Becoming culturally literate is key to learning the Healer’s Art. Kristen Erekson, an assistant teaching professor in attendance, expounded on the importance of learning to care for diverse individuals. “What we deliver is not a one-size-fits-all package,” she said. The Savior ministered to the individual needs of each person, and He did so without regard to status, ethnicity, or any other classification. Following this pattern, Dr. Ruda presented about compassionately educating fentanyl users about the dangers of drug use. He emphasized the importance of withholding judgment and understanding that progress isn’t instantaneous. “Meet patients where they are instead of just telling them where they should be,” he counseled.
BYU students will continue learning and teaching at future Transcultural Nursing Society events. Next year’s conference will be held in Portland, Maine, and more information about the society’s work and mission can be found here.
Nursing students who would like to participate should contact Dr. Petr Ruda at petr-ruda@byu.edu.
Posters:
