Valérie Tóthová

Background The cultural competence of nurses is crucial in providing nursing care for patients from different cultures. The absence of cultural competence can negatively impact the entire course of care; however, implementing cultural competence in critical care unit can be complicated. Aims This study aimed to determine nurses' perceptions regarding cultural competence in critical care units. Study Design This study used a qualitative design with semi‐structured interviews with nurses ( n = 10) working in critical unites. Data were collected from February to June 2022 and then categorized and evaluated. Atlas.ti was used for the inductive thematic content analysis. Results Three key areas identified were as follows: (1) nurses and culturally competent care in critical care, (2) cultural challenges in practice and (3) suggestions for improving culturally competent care. The participants expressed that culturally competent care in critical care units has specific limitations because of the nature of the intensive care units (ICUs). Additional learning included opportunities to improve culturally competent care, such as raising cultural awareness, developing language skills and promoting culturally competent care. Conclusions Providing culturally competent care in critical care units is an understudied area. Identifying barriers and cultural challenges is one strategy nurses can use to improve culturally competent ICU care. Relevance to Clinical Practice Creating cultural awareness by training nurses in their own culture, in cultural diversity, and in overcoming prejudices and stereotypes is an essential step towards increasing cultural competence. Understanding nurses' perceptions on this topic can provide valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities for providing culturally sensitive care in a critical care setting.

Missed and unfinished nursing care in hospitals depends on the quality of human resources. This paper aims to analyze the influence of selected work characteristics on missing and incomplete nursing care in inpatient wards of Czech hospitals. The relationship between the rate of missed and unfinished nursing care and selected work characteristics was studied using the Czech version of the standardized questionnaire, the MISSCARE Survey. The study was conducted from September 26, 2021, to October 15, 2021. Controlled interviews with 1,205 nurses working in ward blocks in Czech hospitals were used. The research results showed statistically significant connections between selected work characteristics and missed and unfinished nursing care. Nurses with the highest level of education (Master, Ph.D.), nurses with specialized education, nurses with the lowest number of working hours (less than 30 hours per week), and nurses with the highest number of years of work experience (21 years and over) show a significantly lower rate of missed nursing care. Nurses from surgical departments, specialist nurses, and nurses with the highest education (Master, Ph.D.) report statistically significantly lower unfinished care levels. In contrast, nurses from regional/district hospitals, practical nurses/nursing assistants, and nurses with the lowest education (secondary school of nursing) report significantly higher unfinished nursing care levels. The information obtained can be used to improve nursing processes in the identified weak parts, strategic planning of nursing care, and sufficient personnel. AcknowledgmentsI would like to express my gratitude to co-authors and other members of the research team – Hana Hajduchová, Chloubová Ivana, Hana Kubešová, Josef Malý, Martin Doseděl, Ondřej Tesař, and Kateřina Malá-Ládová, without whose support the article could not have been published.Supported by the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic, grant no. NU20-09-00257. All rights reserved.