De Beer, JenniferChipps, Jennifer2015-04-082015-04-082014De Beer J. & Chipps J. (2014). A survey of cultural competence of critical care nurses in KwaZulu-Natal. South African Journal of Critical Care, 30(2):50-541562-8264http://hdl.handle.net/10566/1411BACKGROUND. Nurses are primary caregivers and have a key role in providing care in a culturally diverse healthcare system, such as in South Africa (SA). Nurses need cultural competence in the management of patients within this cultural context. A healthcare system staffed by a culturally competent workforce can provide high-quality care to diverse population groups, contributing to the elimination of health disparities. OBJECTIVE. To describe the self-rated levels of cultural competence of nurses working in critical care settings in a selected public hospital in SA. METHODS. A quantitative descriptive survey was conducted with nurses from eight critical care units in a selected public hospital in KwaZulu-Natal, using the Inventory to Access the Process of Cultural Competency - Revised (IAPCC-R) cultural competence questionnaire. RESULTS. Nearly three quarters of the critical care nurses scored highest in the cultural awareness range of the cultural competence scale, with nurses from non-English-speaking backgrounds scoring significantly higher in cultural competence than English-speaking nurses. CONCLUSION. In addressing the many faces of cultural diversity, healthcare professionals must realise that these faces share a common vision: to obtain quality healthcare services that are culturally responsive and culturally relevant to the specific cultural group.enAuthor can archive publisher's version/PDFCritical careCultural competenceSouth AfricaArticle