In Episode 14 of ETNAtalks, Dr Maria Dolors Bernabeu reflects on her journey through mental health nursing, social and cultural anthropology, education and international practice, exploring how these experiences shaped her understanding of transcultural care.

Drawing on encounters with patients, students and communities in Spain, the United States, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Indonesia and Ghana, Dr Bernabeu explains that culture cannot be reduced to a set of facts about different groups. Instead, it is a living and constantly evolving lens that influences how people understand illness, express distress, communicate, build trust and experience care.

The conversation considers how universities can move beyond teaching cultural competence as a standalone topic. Dr Bernabeu advocates for its integration throughout the nursing curriculum, including mental health, pharmacology, pain management, end-of-life care and clinical practice. She also discusses the value of experiential and reflective teaching methods, including problem-based learning, case studies, socio-drama, narrative photography and body mapping, which encourage students to examine their own assumptions and engage with the complexity of real-world care.

Dr Bernabeu also highlights the responsibility of healthcare and educational institutions to embed cultural competence within curricula, assessments, clinical guidance, quality measures and staff development. This requires what she describes as institutional courage: a willingness to recognise inequality, question established practices and create space for honest conversations about bias, power and uncertainty.

Her central message is that cultural competence is not a destination or qualification that can be completed. It is a lifelong process grounded in curiosity, humility, reflection and the courage to keep learning from the people receiving care.

Be curious. Be humble. Be brave.