Nursing Initiative Looks to Better Understand Patients' Cultures

ANA wants to "keep pace with the increasing diversity of the American population, and to respond to it, and approach it with strength" Piccirillo says. "It's continuingly evolving and the demographics are evolving. We are looking at the patients as well as the families."

The new initiative would include a new fulltime staff position at the nursing practice and policy department to work with nurses and be responsible for "collecting, managing and disseminating cultural competency resources to the national nursing community," according to the ANA's grant application.

Piccirillo described the center as a "centralized online information bank." A dedicated Web page on the ANA Web site, www.nursingworld.org, will be developed to house the resources for easy access and navigation. In addition, nurses with specific areas of expertise will be recruited to join as volunteer counselors.