Transcultural nursing care, religion, and compassion: A holistic path toward reduced inequalities

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationships between cultural competence, compassion, and religion among nursing students. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted among third and fourth-year nursing students enrolled in a state university in Türkiye during the 2022-2023 academic year. A total of 422 students who met the inclusion criteria and agreed to participate completed the Personal Information Form, Individual Religion Inventory, Compassion Scale, and Cultural Competence Assessment Tool (CCATool). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and group comparison tests. RESULTS: Gender was found to significantly influence cultural competence, compassion, and religion scores. Additionally, cultural competence was negatively correlated with both compassion and religion among the participating students. CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlight a concerning area within nursing education, emphasizing the need to enhance cultural competence alongside fostering compassion and religion. These results indicate the importance of developing nursing curricula that support quality education and contribute to reduced inequalities in healthcare delivery.