Date of Conferral

3-6-2024

Date of Award

March 2024

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Health

Advisor

Jennifer Oliphant

Abstract

There are numerous health problems associated with female genital mutilation (FGM) practice. In Nigerian healthcare, professionals need to ensure culturally sensitive care for FGM cases. However, there was a literature gap involving culturally sensitive care for Nigerian women with FGM complications, evidenced by some northern Nigerian nurses who were not able to identify FGM categories or cultural given names associated with FGM types. Thus, this qualitative study involved ascertaining the worldview of Nigerian nurses and midwives in Owerri regarding providing culturally competent nursing care for FGM complications, guided by the process of cultural competence in the delivery of healthcare services model. Data were gathered from virtual interviews with 10 nurses/midwives who were 21 and above and recruited through probability purposive sampling. Results were analyzed and coded into five emerging themes and patterns. The main themes were: (a) patient assessment is a standard practice (history taking, physical exam, and documentation), (b) nurses’ use of culturally competent skills during care (respect of values and beliefs, awareness of cultural diversity, clarity in local language, nonverbal means), (c) barriers to care of FGM cases (nurses’ ignorance of FGM, victims’ fear of expression, and cultural acceptance of FGM), (d) cultural dynamics that influence care of FGM, (pain tolerance differences by ethnicity), and (e) motivating factors to care for FGM patients (nurses’ empathy, sympathy, desire to stop FGM). Study findings could be used for training of nurses, and help policymakers create appropriate guidelines for culturally sensitive and individualized nursing care for women with FGM and for social change in Nigeria as well as worldwide for better public health outcomes.

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