Cultural safety

Cultural safety can be defined as the effective nursing practice of a person or family from another culture that is determined by that person or family [from Nursing Council of New Zealand, Guidelines for Cultural Safety, the Treaty of Waitangi and Māori Health in Nursing Education and Practice, 2011, p. 7]. Its origins are in nursing education and a culture can range anywhere from age or generation, gender, sexual orientation, occupation, religious beliefs, or even disabilities. An unsafe cultural practice is an action that demeans the cultural identity of a particular person or family. Cultural safety also has four different principles. The first one aims to improve health status and well-being of New Zealanders because the concept originated in New Zealand; on the other hand, the second one improves the delivery of health services. The third one focuses on the differences among the people who are being treated and accepting those differences. The fourth principle focuses on understanding the power of health services and how health care impacts individuals and families.

Cultural Safety has its origins in the field of nursing education. The concept originated at a nursing leadership hui in 1989 after concerns were raised by Māori nursing students about the safety of Māori students in monocultural nursing schools and of Māori intellectual property when taught by tauiwi; it was further theorised and developed by Irihapeti Ramsden and the Nursing Council of New Zealand. Cultural safety has been further developed in Australia through education and social work practice, and has been incorporated into the Australian Association for Social Workers Code of Ethics (2010) following consultation with Indigenous social work practitioners in the wake of the national apology to the Stolen Generations in Australia in 2008.

The first definition, since revised, states that cultural safety is met through actions which recognise, respect, and nurture the unique cultural identity of Tangata Whenua, and safely meet their needs, expectations, and rights.

The current definition of cultural safety is the effective nursing practice of a person or family/ whanau from another culture, and is determined by that person or family. Culture includes, but is not restricted to, age or generation; gender; sexual orientation; occupation and socio-economic status; ethnic origin or migrant experience; religious or spiritual beliefs; and disability.

The nurse/midwife delivering the nursing/ midwifery service will have undertaken a process of reflection on his/her cultural identity and will recognize the impact that his/her personal culture has on his/her professional practice. Unsafe cultural practice comprises any action which diminishes, demeans or disempowers the cultural identity and wellbeing of an individual.

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