PhD thesis
Nursing care for ethnic minority patients in Norway: patient and nurse perspectives
Title of trial lecture
'Discuss caregiver burden and the role of religion as a challenge and resource among minority families'
- Trial lecture starts at 10:15
- Public defence starts at 12:30
Read the thesis in Nasjonalt VitenArkiv (NVA)
Disputation chair: Professor Randi Eikeland, UiA
Assessment committee:
- First opponent: Professor Dorthe Susanne Nielsen, Syddansk universitet
- Second opponent: Professor Jonas Debesay, OsloMet
- Chair of the assessment committee: Associate Professor Trygve Johannes Lereim Sævareid, UiA
Supervisors in the doctoral work:
- Main supervisor: Professor Gudrun Elin Rohde, Institutt for helse- og sykepleievitenskap, UiA
- Co-supervisor: Professor Berit Johannessen, Institutt for helse- og sykepleievitenskap, UiA
- Birgit Lie, Dr. med og Consultant, Sørlandet Hospital Trust
Summary of thesis
Increasing migration and globalization have contributed to greater cultural and linguistic diversity within the Norwegian healthcare system. Healthcare professionals increasingly encounter patients with diverse cultural backgrounds, health beliefs, and communication needs. These differences may influence communication, trust, and interaction between patients and healthcare professionals. Cultural competence is therefore an important prerequisite for ensuring equitable healthcare services.
The aim of this doctoral thesis was to explore the experience of caring for ethnic minority patients in Norway, from both patients and nurses’ perspectives, as well as assess the cultural competence of nurses in caring for ethnic minority patients.
In this thesis, there were three studies involved in a multi-method approach. One such study was qualitative, in which relevant interviews were conducted with Arabic-speaking patients to gain an insight into their interaction with Norway’s health-care system. The second study was also qualitative. However, it used focus groups to interview nurses about caring for ethnic minority patients to enhance our understanding of these types of situations within the Norwegian health-care system. Finally, the third study applied quantitative methods by conducting a cross-sectional survey to assess nurses’ cultural competencies. The overall design of this structure allowed a comprehensive knowledge of the subject topic by combining an in-depth qualitative understanding with broad quantitative data.
The findings reveal that communication is central to the interactions between healthcare professionals and patients from immigrant backgrounds. Language barriers, the use of interpreters, and differing expectations of healthcare services can significantly influence both patients’ experiences of care and nurses’ daily practices. Moreover, the studies indicate that nurses often develop cultural competence through professional experience and interactions with patients from various cultural backgrounds.
Additionally, the results indicate that cultural competence is not solely an individual responsibility; it is also shaped by organizational factors such as access to interpreter services, training opportunities, and adequate time for communication. Intercultural communication emerges as a key component in fostering culturally competent nursing practice.
Overall, this thesis contributes new insights into how cultural and communication-related factors influence nursing practice in a diverse healthcare system. The findings emphasize the importance of enhancing cultural competence, communication skills, and organizational support to ensure equitable healthcare services for patients from diverse backgrounds.
About the candidate
Tariq Alkhaled is a PhD candidate in the Department of Health and Nursing Science at the University of Agder, Norway, from 2019–2026.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Tishreen University in Syria (2000–2004). He later completed a diploma in pedagogy at Damascus University (2006–2007) and obtained a Master’s degree in Nursing Science at Alexandria University, Egypt (2008–2011).
Alkhaled has experience in clinical practice and academic work within nursing. His research interests include cultural competence, intercultural communication, and providing equitable healthcare services to patients from immigrant backgrounds.
His doctoral research at the University of Agder explores the experiences of both patients and nurses within the Norwegian healthcare system, as well as nurses’ cultural competence in an increasingly diverse healthcare context.
What to do as an online audience member
The disputation is open to the public. To follow the trial lecture and the public defence online, register on Zoom.
We ask online audience members to join no earlier than 10 minutes in advance. After these times, you can leave and rejoin the meeting at any time.
Opponent ex auditorio:
Deadline for the public to pose questions is during the break between the two opponents. Questions ex auditorio can be submitted to disputation chair randi.eikeland@uia.no, cc to PhD adm emma.e.horneman@uia.no.