Measuring Cultural Competence in Nursing: A Review Study

Background: Cultural competence is an essential factor in providing effective services to care seekers. Providing cultural care is a necessity in nursing; thus, measuring cultural competence in nurses is of great importance. Accordingly, the current study aimed at introducing the scales for measuring cultural competence in nursing. Methods: The current narrative review study was conducted by searching the internet and library resources through credible databases. The keywords “cultural competence, cultural competency, cultural instruments, the measurement of cultural competency, nursing, nursing students, and cultural sensitivity” were used individually and in combination. The selected articles were in English, without any time limits, and only in the medical fields. Results: Among 16 articles related to cultural competence scales, 19 scales were discovered; 12 of which were in English and applicable in nursing. Nine tools were designed based on a conceptual framework/model, and only 6 of them received psychometric evaluations. Conclusion: The comparison of the scales suggested that all of them were developed based on different conceptual frameworks; accordingly, various factors should be considered when using them. The compatibility of the scale with the culture and environmental conditions of the studied population, and the areas of cultural competence it investigates, are among such characteristics.