Co-Designing Culturally Responsive Nursing Care in Primary Healthcare

Overview

Primary healthcare nurses frequently care for patients from diverse cultural backgrounds. Cultural beliefs and expectations about illness, treatment, and communication can influence how patients understand health information and participate in care decisions. When these cultural perspectives are not adequately recognized during clinical encounters, misunderstandings may occur, potentially affecting patient engagement, trust in healthcare providers, and adherence to care plans. This study aims to develop and pilot test a culturally responsive nursing care intervention designed for use in primary healthcare settings. The intervention focuses on improving communication between nurses and patients by supporting nurses in exploring patients' cultural perspectives, health priorities, and personal experiences of illness during routine consultations. The goal is to promote shared understanding and collaborative care planning. The intervention will be developed using a participatory co-design process involving patients, family caregivers, and primary healthcare nurses. Participants will share their experiences and contribute ideas for improving culturally responsive care. These insights will be used to create a structured nursing care approach that can be integrated into routine primary healthcare consultations. Following development, the intervention will be pilot tested with a small group of nurses and patients in primary healthcare centres. The pilot phase will assess whether the intervention is feasible to implement in routine practice and acceptable to both patients and nurses. Participants will provide feedback on their experiences with the intervention through surveys and interviews. The findings from this study will inform the development of culturally responsive nursing practices that support improved communication, patient engagement, and personalised care in primary healthcare settings.