Enhancing cultural competence in healthcare: a cultural intelligence approach

Purpose This study addresses the growing need for culturally competent healthcare by introducing cultural intelligence as a theoretically grounded framework for conceptualizing and operationalizing individual-level cultural competence. It aims to explore the real-world relevance of cultural intelligence in nurses' daily work and its impact on their performance and satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-methods convergent design was employed. The qualitative component explored how nurses perceive and navigate cultural dynamics in their daily work. The quantitative component examined the relationships between the four cultural intelligence components (meta-cognitive, cognitive, motivational, and behavioural) and nurses' job performance and satisfaction. Findings The qualitative findings demonstrate three key themes: the self (i.e. the nurse), the other (i.e. the patients), and the context (i.e. the healthcare facility), each reflecting different aspects of cultural intelligence. The quantitative findings demonstrate that meta-cognitive cultural intelligence was positively associated with job performance and indirectly with job satisfaction. In contrast, cognitive cultural intelligence had a negative effect on performance. Motivational and behavioural cultural intelligence showed no significant effects on performance. Research limitations/implications By integrating cultural intelligence into the healthcare management literature, this study establishes a foundation for future research and offers several directions for scholars to further examine the application of cultural intelligence in healthcare contexts. Practical implications This study offers several practical recommendations for healthcare management on how to integrate cultural intelligence into training, recruitment, and organizational policy, so that healthcare institutions can better prepare their workforce to deliver equitable, culturally responsive care. Originality/value The qualitative findings underscore the practical relevance of cultural intelligence in nurses' daily work and that the broader context plays an important role in shaping how cultural dynamics are perceived by nurses. The quantitative findings underscore that cultural competence is not merely about acquiring cultural knowledge but about developing the reflective and adaptive capabilities necessary to navigate complex, culturally diverse healthcare environments.