The Role of Mindfulness in Cultural Intelligence: Impact on Culturally Congruent Patient Care

Abstract

The purpose of this study is twofold: to explore the role of mindfulness in cultural intelligence (CQ) with the development of a CQ mindfulness model that builds on the CQ and mindfulness literatures, and to test the model’s ability to predict culturally congruent patient care. Data was collected from 215 registered nurses working in a variety of health care settings in a highly culturally diverse urban environment. The study results support the presence of three essential and distinct facets of mindfulness: empathy, open-mindedness, and using all senses, and the key role played by mindfulness in cultural intelligence. The data indicate strong relationships between mindfulness and total mental CQ (cognitive CQ and metacognitive CQ), and between mindfulness and behavioral CQ. Study results also support the significant influence of mindfulness on culturally congruent patient care and the influence of behavioral CQ on culturally congruent patient care. The data does not support the hypothesized influence of total mental CQ on culturally congruent patient care. These findings contribute to the management literature by adding to the burgeoning CQ research on the antecedents of CQ and on the interactions amongst the different CQ facets; this study also contributes to the cultural competence literature in health care with the introduction of the CQ mindfulness model as well as a new instrument to measure culturally congruent patient care. This research on CQ and mindfulness in health care proposes a novel insight as to why some nurses may be more effective than others at providing culturally congruent patient care. Findings offer timely managerial implications for health care organizations.