Problem-based learning: an educational strategy to support nurses working in a multicultural community

Physical dislocation of people from their homelands either as refugees, imm igrants or exiles has resulted in the creation of multicultural communities which have diverse health needs. Like elsewhere, nurses in Australia have been faced with the challenge of responding to an ever-changing migrant pop ulation. A modified problem-based learning project was conducted in Melbour ne to assist nurses to enhance their practice of caring for children and fa milies of non-English speaking backgrounds ((NESB)). Clinical nurses worked with the researchers to develop and trial problem-based educational packag es. The packages were designed for use in the clinical areas and graduate n ursing programs to assist nurses overcome the cultural and communication di fficulties they experienced when caring for people of NESB.