Abstract
1
Pensar Enfermagem / v.30 n.Sup / Jan-Dec 2026 / DOI: 10.71861/pensarenf.v30iSup.490 / e00490
Cultural Competence: promoting quality care and supportive
nursing work environments in multicultural units
Gisela Teixeira1*, Ricardo Picoito2, Filomena Gaspar3, Pedro Lucas4*
1 Centro de Investigação, Inovação e Desenvolvimento em Enfermagem de Lisboa, Escola Superior de Enfermagem da Universidade de Lisboa,
Portugal; orcid.org/0000-0003-2228-8263
2 Centro de Investigação, Inovação e Desenvolvimento em Enfermagem de Lisboa, Escola Superior de Enfermagem da Universidade de Lisboa,
Portugal; Centro de Inovação e Investigação Clínica e Núcleo de Investigação e Formação em Enfermagem da Unidade Local de Saúde Lisboa
Ocidental, Lisboa, Portugal; orcid.org/0000-0002-7719-5227
3 Centro de Investigação, Inovação e Desenvolvimento em Enfermagem de Lisboa, Escola Superior de Enfermagem da Universidade de Lisboa,
Portugal; orcid.org/0000-0002-8139-2717
4 Centro de Investigação, Inovação e Desenvolvimento em Enfermagem de Lisboa, Escola Superior de Enfermagem da Universidade de Lisboa,
Portugal; Departamento de Administração em Enfermagem, Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal; orcid.org/0000-0002-
2560-7306
* Autor de correspondência: gteixeira@esel.pt
Abstract
Introduction
The increasing cultural diversity in Portugal challenges healthcare organizations to create positive work
environments that both support multicultural teams and address the needs of patients from diverse cultural
backgrounds. Evidence suggests that cultural competence is a key factor for promoting supportive nursing
work environments and for guiding the planning and delivery of culturally congruent care.
Objective
To analyse the impact of cultural competence on the nursing work environment and its relationship with the
delivery of culturally congruent care in a multicultural healthcare organization in Portugal.
Methods
A quantitative, cross-sectional, and descriptive-correlational study was conducted with 155 nurses from a Local
Health Unit in the Lisbon region, between February and June 2024. Data were collected using the Cultural
Competence Questionnaire for Help Professionals, the NWI-R-PT Nursing Work Index – Revised (Portuguese
version), and a single item assessing nurses’ perceptions of the adequacy of the culturally congruent care they
provide. Data analysis was performed using descriptive and inferential statistics in SPSS Statistics version 27.
Results
The “Organizational Support” dimension of cultural competence was a significant predictor of a more
favourable nursing work environment (β = 0.202; p < 0.001). Furthermore, higher scores in the “Cultural
Knowledge” dimension was associated with more positive perceptions of the adequacy of culturally congruent
care provided to patients from diverse cultural backgrounds (p < 0.05).
Conclusion
Cultural competence demonstrated a significant impact on the nursing work environment, with the
“Organizational Support” dimension emerging as a predictor of more favourable work contexts. A positive
relationship was also found between “Cultural Knowledge” and the perceived adequacy of culturally congruent
care. These findings indicate that the development of cultural competence, particularly at the organizational
and educational levels, constitutes a strategic factor in promoting more positive practice environments and care
that is better aligned with patients’ cultural needs.
Keywords
Cultural Competence; Nursing; Nursing Administration Research; Work Environment.
Abstract
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Pensar Enfermagem / v.30 n.Sup / Jan-Dec 2026 / DOI: 10.71861/pensarenf.v30iSup.490 / e00490
References
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