Nurse/Midwife Health Communication Competencies and Transcultural Effectiveness in Family Health Centers in Türkiye

Introduction: Nurses and midwives in family health centers play a critical role in maintaining effective communication with patients, especially those from diverse cultural backgrounds. This study aimed to explore the health communication competencies of these health care professionals and their impact on intercultural effectiveness. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 61 midwives and 54 nurses working in 34 family health centers. Data were collected using A Demographic Form, Communication Competence Scale, and Intercultural Effectiveness Scale. Result: Regression analysis identified a significant relationship between communication competence and intercultural effectiveness (F = 14.218; p = .000 < .050). In total, 93.6% of the participants experience language barriers during the care process. Discussion: Given that language barriers are identified as the greatest challenge, it is essential to provide short-term translator support and long-term language education to address this issue effectively. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to improve communication competencies, which are crucial for providing culturally competent care in diverse settings.