ETNA is pleased to announce the release of Episode 14 of ETNAtalks, Culture Is a Lens: Transcultural Nursing, Humility and Lifelong Learning, featuring Dr Maria Dolors Bernabeu, PhD, BAnthrop, PMHN, BN, FETNA.
In conversation with host Dr Juan Manuel Leyva Moral, Dr Bernabeu reflects on her professional journey through mental health nursing, social and cultural anthropology, education and international practice. Drawing on experiences from Spain, the United States, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Indonesia and Ghana, she explores how culture shapes the ways people understand illness, communicate distress, seek support and experience care.
A central message of the episode is that culture should not be treated as a separate topic within nursing education. Rather, it is a lens through which every aspect of care can be understood, influencing communication, mental health, pain management, medication, family relationships, end-of-life care and the development of trust between professionals and the people they support.
Dr Bernabeu discusses the importance of moving beyond definitions and encouraging students to engage with cultural complexity through lived experiences, stories and structured reflection. Teaching approaches such as problem-based learning, case studies, socio-drama, narrative photography and body mapping can help students explore different perspectives, recognise their assumptions and develop greater cultural awareness.
The episode also considers the role of universities and healthcare organisations in creating lasting change. Cultural competence must be visible throughout curricula, assessments, clinical guidance, quality measures and professional development—not treated as an optional addition. This requires a willingness to examine bias, inequality, power and established ways of working.
For Dr Bernabeu, cultural competence is not a destination or a qualification that can simply be completed. It is a lifelong journey of listening, reflecting, making mistakes and continuing to learn from the people receiving care.
Her message to nurses and educators is both simple and powerful:
Be curious. Be humble. Be brave.
