Universal Journal of Public Health Vol. 5(1), pp. 54 - 61
DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2017.050108
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The Effect of an Education Program on Japanese Nurses' Attitudes toward Foreign Patients

Airi Takashima ^*, Hiroya Matsuo
Department of International Health, Kobe University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Japan

ABSTRACT

To improve Japanese nurses' ability to take care of foreign patients, we developed an active learning education program and examined whether it had any effect on their nursing skills and attitudes toward foreign patients. Our education program consisted of three sessions, conducted at two general hospitals in Osaka Prefecture. Thirty-nine nurses joined the education program (comprising the education group), while 138 nurses completed the questionnaire (comprising the control group). The questionnaire consisted of questions on demographics, attitudes toward foreign patients, and self-efficacy. For the education group, questionnaires were evaluated at three time points, and for the control group, at two time points. The study demonstrated that both nurses' understanding of and communication with foreign patients were significantly improved after taking the education program. Nurses' anxiety levels regarding foreign patients likewise showed a decrease, and nursing care to foreign patients significantly improved, after taking the education program. On the GSES scale, the "Very high" responses increased in the education group. We concluded that the active learning education program had positive effects on nurses' understanding of and communication with foreign patients as well as the alleviation of nurses' anxiety, thereby enabling nurses to acquire nursing care skills necessary for foreign patient care.

KEYWORDS
Foreign Patients, Immigrant Patients, Cultural Competency, Transcultural Nursing, Intercultural Education

Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Airi Takashima , Hiroya Matsuo , "The Effect of an Education Program on Japanese Nurses' Attitudes toward Foreign Patients," Universal Journal of Public Health, Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 54 - 61, 2017. DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2017.050108.

(b). APA Format:
Airi Takashima , Hiroya Matsuo (2017). The Effect of an Education Program on Japanese Nurses' Attitudes toward Foreign Patients. Universal Journal of Public Health, 5(1), 54 - 61. DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2017.050108.