title: Recognising and respecting patients' cultural diversity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore nursing students' experiences of caring for patients from different and often unfamiliar cultural backgrounds.
  
  
  METHODS
  Focus group discussions were conducted with nursing students from mental health, learning disability and adult nursing in one university, to obtain qualitative information about areas of difficulty in providing culturally competent care.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nursing students expressed difficulties and challenges meeting the cultural needs of patients, with particular focus on issues related to language, food and gender.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nursing students need to prepare for work in a culturally diverse healthcare setting and should receive education and training in this area to ensure ongoing personal and professional development.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health and Social Care Research, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McClimens
authors.forename: Jacqui
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brewster
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lewis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel / Q000208:ethnology*; D003142:Communication; D054521:Cultural Competency / Q000458:organization & administration*; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D005518:Food Preferences; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D012737:Sex Factors; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D016746:Transcultural Nursing / Q000193:education*