Nurses' perspectives on culturally sensitive maternity care in hospital settings

Background: Differences in cultural backgrounds between healthcare workers and patients can lead to misunderstandings and cultural shock for patients. Nurses must navigate these situations to provide services that prioritize attentiveness, mutual respect, and cultural sensitivity, ultimately improving patients' health outcomes. Nurses play a critical role in delivering appropriate care, particularly when cultural practices may pose risks to maternal health during childbirth. Therefore, understanding the cultural perspective is essential for nurses in providing effective maternity care. Purpose: To explore nurses' perspectives on providing culturally sensitive maternity care to mothers during childbirth within the hospital setting. Method: A qualitative research design with a descriptive phenomenological approach was employed. Twelve informants participated in the study to ensure data saturation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted through face-to-face sessions, Zoom meetings, and audio recordings. Data were analyzed using the Colaizzi method. Results: Three key themes emerged from the analysis: (1) Culturally sensitive assessments were primarily focused on spiritual and social aspects; (2) Implementation of cultural sensitivity was achieved through interprofessional collaboration, education, and direct care; (3) Improvements in culturally sensitive care were identified as necessary, including policy development, additional human resources, and health education guidelines. Conclusion: Nurses' perspectives on culturally sensitive maternity care indicate a lack of a comprehensive cultural approach in current practices. Enhancing maternity nurses' competencies through targeted training on cultural assessments is essential to support high-quality maternity care that respects and integrates cultural considerations.