Do your patients understand? Providing culturally congruent patient education.

Providing culturally congruent patient and family education is crucial for the current U.S. society. The advances in medicine and changes in the U.S. healthcare system require that patients take a more active role in their healthcare. To assist patients in assuming this role, nurses must be prepared to teach all members of the multicultural U.S. society. This article will provide information on transcultural nursing models, approaches to assessing a patient's culture, and strategies for working in cross-cultural situations.