eSimulation : a novel approach to enhancing cultural competence within a health care organisation

The need for Australian health care organisations to deliver culturally competent and safe care to its increasingly diverse population provided the impetus for the development of an interactive eSimulation module "Communicating with Patients from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds, Case Study: Ms Shu Fen Chen". This article discusses the rationale, development and implementation of the module. Feedback from sixty nurses and allied health professionals indicated the module was highly engaging and had a positive impact on learners' confidence, knowledge and clinical practice. It is concluded that eSimulation modules can contribute to the uptake of cultural competency training and create a foundation for further initiatives to enhance the provision of culturally competent health care.