College of Nursing and Health Sciences DNP Defense - Wedline Rho

Monday, March 31, 2025 at 5:00pm to 7:00pm

Project Title: Cultural Competence Assessment and Education of the Healthcare Staff at the Community Behavioral Health Center

Student name: Wedline Rho, PMHNP – BC, DNP Student

Date of Defense: 3/31/25
Time: 5pm via Zoom 

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Christine AF Bell PhD RN CAPA WCC

Committee Members:
Dr. Kathleen Elliott, DNP - BC (2nd reader)
Dorcas Adeyemo, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC (site mentor)

Abstract

Cultural diversity is increasingly prevalent in healthcare, highlighting the importance of cultural competence. Research links cultural competency to better mental health outcomes, making it essential for healthcare providers to embrace diversity to enhance care, build trust, and improve overall patient health. Education on cultural competence has proven effective, prompting this project at a community behavioral healthcare center (CBHC) involving various healthcare staff, including psychiatrists, physicians, nurses (LPN/RN), LMHC, MHC, MSW, LICSW. The aim was to assess and educate providers on cultural competence using the Cultural Competence Assessment (CCA) tool through a pre-and post-survey design. An educational PowerPoint presentation was utilized to enhance staff understanding of the importance of cultural competence. This project was designed to measure experience, behaviors, awareness sensitivity, and cultural diversity. The project hypothesized that an educational intervention would affect healthcare staff's awareness of patients' cultural backgrounds. With the planned sample size achieved, a two-tail paired-samples t-test indicated statistically significant results in all three scales with an alpha value of .05. Results of the CCA pre (M = 3.92) and post (M = 5.40) (p<.001); the CAS pre (M = 3.92) and post (M = 5.40) (p<.001)), and the pre CCB (M = 4.78) and post (M = 5.44) (p=.024) showed statistically significant changes reflecting improved cultural competence and sensitivity among staff. The higher scores reflect greater diversity experience, cultural competence, sensitivity, and related behaviors.

Keywords: cultural awareness, cultural competency, cultural sensitivity, psychiatry or psychiatric or mental health, cultural impact on health behavior, and health intervention.

ZOOM : 285 Old Westport Road
Deanna Hoffman
dhoffman@umassd.edu