Degree programme in Nursing Nursing

The aim of this project is to improve the cultural knowledge between nurses and the immigrant patients by creating recommendations for nurses who will be working with elderly immigrants. These recommendations can be used also for educating nursing students. As the amount of immigrants is annually increasing, the demands for cultural competence skills are needed, and therefore should be developed among the health care personnel. (Moisala 2008, Väestöliitto.fi, stat.fi) The Finnish health care services will meet different heterogenic groups of immigrants in the future, of which elderly people are probably the most challenging group. Elderly immigrant is an equal patient to a Finnish one. The nurse has to personally go through the cultural competence development in order to meet patients and clients, coming from different cultural backgrounds, in a meaningful way, and maintain these skills throughout the nursing career. (Sainola-Rodriguez 2013.) The findings of this project show that nurses would benefit from open-minded approach, and having good listening and observations skills. Cultural competence skills include understanding, tolerance, and acceptance of diversity, which all help the nurse in initial meeting with the elderl