Featured ArticleImplementing Standardized Patients to Teach Cultural Competency to Graduate Nursing Students

BackgroundAlthough many programs emphasize knowledge enhancement on caring for patients from diverse cultural backgrounds, few integrate cultural assessments, skills, and encounters with these patients. To fill this gap, an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) with culturally diverse standardized patients was introduced to 29 first-year graduate nursing students.MethodThe learning experience was implemented in three phases: (a) Pretest, (b) didactic introduction to culturally sensitive issues, and (c) video-recorded OSCE with two ethnically diverse, standardized patients. A posttest and final evaluation concluded the experience.Results/ConclusionsThe objective scoring of student competency from the SPs was positive, especially their assessment of patient use of alternative therapies. The students perceived that their critical thinking skills were enhanced.