Thesis (MCurr)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to explore the perceived need among nurses from different cultures in a private hospital in Saudi Arabia for a program to teach cultural sensitivity. The hypotheses for this study were:  Diverse bio- and demographical/cultural/educational backgrounds of nursing staff have an input on their cultural knowledge and sensitivity of care given in the hospital  The amount of occurrence reports generated due to cultural differences and clashes indicate the need for a program to teach cultural sensitivity. A descriptive quantitative study was done, using a self administrative questionnaire on a randomly selected sample 15.8% (n=200) of the population (N=1272) of registered nurses. The data was collected by structured questionnaires with sections requiring the following:  Biographical information (age, gender, nationality)  Amount of experience in nursing of patients with diverse cultures  Nursing education received about caring for patients of diverse cultures  Cultures of colleagues and patients in the hospital  Whether incidents occur because of cultural differences  Amounts of incident reports generated by each respondent per month The study is descriptive and made use of non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis, Mann- Whitney U and Chi-square computations to determine relationships between the answers of the different respondents to be able to come to a conclusion about the research question. The study reflects a youthful component of nurses from very diverse cultures working in the hospital, with a large variety of patients of equally diverse cultures. Only 1:5 of the nurses felt that they have enough knowledge about each others’ and their patients’ cultures. Recommendations for the implementation of a program for cultural sensitivity are the end result of this study. The ultimate goal for such a program is culturally sensitive nursing where the patients would experience that their culture has been considered in the planning and implementation of their nursing care. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doelwit van hierdie navorsing was om te bepaal of geregistreerde verpleegkundiges van verskillende kulture by ’n privaat hospitaal in Saudi Arabië die behoefte ervaar en herken vir die aanleer van kulturele sensitiwiteit. Die hipoteses van die navorsing was soos volg:  Diverse bio- en demografiese/kulturele/opvoedkundige agtergrond van verpleeglui sal hul kulturele kennis en dus kultuur sensitiewe verpleging in die hospitaal beinvloed.  Die aantal insidente wat voorkom oor kultuurverskille en botsings is ‘n aanduiding vir die nodigheid van ‘n program om kulturele sensitiwiteit aan te leer. ’n Beskrywende navorsingsontwerp met ‘n kwantitatiewe benadering is in die studie gevolg. ’n Vraelys wat deur die respondente self voltooi moes word, is ingevul deur die ewekansige verkose steekproef van 15.8% (n=200) van die bevolking van geregistreerde verpleegkundiges (N=1272).Die gestruktureerde vraelys het afdelings bevat wat die volgende inligting verlang het:  biografiese inligting (ouderdom, geslag, nasionaliteit),  hoeveelheid ondervinding van verpleging van ander kulture,  verpleegonderrig ontvang in die hantering van pasiёnte met diverse kulture,  kulture van kollegas en pasiёnte in die hospitaal,  of daar insidente voorkom weens kultuur verskille,  hoeveelheid insidentverslae wat elke deelnemer moet invul per maand. Die studie is beskrywend van aard en daar is gebruik gemaak van nie-parametriese Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U en Chi-kwadraat berekeninge om verhoudinge tussen die antwoorde van die verskillende respondente te bepaal en om tot ‘n gevolgtrekking te kom oor die navorsingsvraag. Die resultate van die navorsing toon dat daar ’n jonger komponent van geregistreerde verpleegkundiges van baie diverse kulture in die hospitaal werk met ‘n groot verskeidenheid van pasiente van ewe diverse kulture. Slegs 1:5 van die verpleegkundiges in die steekproef het gevoel dat hulle oor die nodige kennis beskik m.b.t. mekaar en hul pasiёnte se kulture. Aanbevelings vir die implementering van ’n program vir kulturele sensitiwiteit is die eindresultaat van hierdie navorsing. Die uiteindelike doel van so ‘n program is kultureel sensitiewe. verpleegsorg waar pasiёnte ervaar dat hul kultuur aangespreek word in die beplanning en implementering van sulke sorg