Enhancing cultural competence in caring for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender patients: An online training program for Taiwanese student nurses and nurses

Background: Health disparities exist among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) populations worldwide. However, student nurses and nurse staff have limited knowledge and skills in providing culturally competent nursing care for LGBT patients in Taiwan. Objectives: This paper describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of an online training program for the cultural competence of student nurses and nurses in Taiwan. Design: A one-group pre-/post-test study design. Settings: The study was conducted in five nursing schools, 10 nursing associations, and 37 long-term care facilities. Two prominent online bulletin boards (PTT Nurse and Dcard Nurse) and one Taiwanese nursing group on Facebook were used to recruit participants. Participants: In total, 301 student nurses and nurses participated in the study and responded to pre- and post-test questionnaires. Methods: An online training program for culturally competent nursing care was developed and implemented. The pre- and post-test questionnaires contained three sections: (1) demographics, (2) knowledge of LGBT health, and (3) the Sexual Orientation Counselor Competency Scale. Three open-ended questions were included in the post-test questionnaire to evaluate the online training program. Results: The online training program significantly improved the participants' knowledge and cultural competence skills. However, their attitudes towards cultural competence did not change after the program was implemented. Regarding qualitative feedback of the online training program, feedback on the strengths and limitations of the program was summarized under three themes: program content, website design, and online modules. Conclusions: The results suggest the importance of an online training program which may contribute to reducing health disparities among the LGBT population.