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Implementing cultural safety to enhance the care of mental health service users

Last Reviewed: 22/11/2023
cultural safety

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Culture plays an important role at every level of healthcare and in every healthcare encounter. Cultural factors significantly affect the interactions between mental health nurses and service users, the experience of mental health service users and ultimately their health-related outcomes. The concept of cultural safety originates from the work of Maori nurse leaders in New Zealand. It builds on concepts such as transcultural nursing, intercultural competence, cultural congruence and cultural competence, enabling a deeper exploration of the underlying issues of inequality affecting people from minority groups. Implementing cultural safety in mental health nursing practice can enhance the quality of care by promoting culturally sensitive communication and prompting nurses to better accommodate the needs of service users.

This article discusses the concept and benefits of cultural safety in the context of mental health nursing and explains how mental health nurses can use cultural safety to enhance the experience and health-related outcomes of service users with diverse cultural backgrounds.

Who is this resource for?

Explains what the component is for

This resource is aimed at nurses and nursing support workers across all settings and levels of practice, including students of health, social work and care professions.

Why you should read this article

to increase your awareness and understanding of the concept of cultural safety

to understand the importance of implementing cultural safety in mental health nursing practice

to contribute towards revalidation as part of your 35 hours of CPD (UK readers)

to contribute towards your professional development and local registration renewal requirements (non-UK readers)

Authors

Diana De

Senior lecturer in adult nursing - School of Healthcare Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales

Anne Fothergill

Principal lecturer, mental health nursing - University of South Wales, Treforest Campus, Pontypridd, Wales

Jim Richardson

Retired senior lecturer, children and young persons’ nursing - Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education, Kingston University and St George’s University of London, London, England

Acknowledgements

The RCN delivers quality-assured and up-to-date resources for the nursing workforce. Reviewed annually, RCN Learn resources meet the RCN Nine Quality Standards.

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PDF Created On: 19 Feb 2025.
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Last Reviewed: 22/11/2023