Date of Conferral

11-13-2025

Date of Award

November 2025

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

School

Nursing

Advisor

Margaret Harvey

Abstract

This doctoral project addressed a gap in staff cultural competence at a mental health and addiction services center in the Midwest. I conducted this project to design, implement, and evaluate a staff educational program to improve staff knowledge, cultural awareness, and communication skills. The guiding practice-focused question was: Among staff at the Midwest mental health and addiction services center, how does a structured cultural competence education program compare to current practices in improving staff knowledge of cultural awareness? A 2-day educational session was held to accommodate participation within regular work schedules without interfering with the project site organization’s services. Arrangements included half of the staff attending first day, and the remaining staff on the second day. Interactive lectures, case studies, role-playing, and guided reflection were all part of each 2-hour session. In addition to anonymous feedback surveys, quizzes were initiated before and after the education session. The results showed meaningful gains in knowledge, with 86% of staff showing quantifiable improvements and average quiz scores rising from 65% to 87%. An increased awareness of bias, improved confidence in cross-cultural communication, and an appreciation for role-playing as a practical teaching technique were shown in the qualitative results. The results of this project indicated that structured cultural competence education can enhance staff’s cultural competence when delivering culturally sensitive care. This project strengthened staff skills and supported organizational goals to promote equity and engage in inclusive practices that embrace patient diversity in care delivery, contributing to positive social change.

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