Stereotypy i uprzedzenia wobec osób odmiennych kulturowo w świadomości studentów pielęgniarstwa

In the 21st century, the world is more often referred to as the global village, and societies are called Internet or digital communities. Distance no longer has the same meaning as in the past. Therefore we often meet people of a different race or religious denomination not only in our virtual lives (the network), but in our daily and professional lives as well. Therefore, it seems essential in the modern world to be able to exist in multiculturalism. This is not an easy task, especially since stereotypes and prejudice are deeply ingrained in Polish culture and mentality. The aim of this study was to identify the opinions and knowledge of the students of nursing about stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination against people of different cultures. The research was conducted in a group of 100 students of nursing and used a questionnaire form and a test of knowledge designed by the authors. Statistical analysis used Statistica 9.0, the Mann-Whitney U test and Pearson’s test of correlation ($\chi^{2}$). The level of knowledge about stereotyping, national and ethnic minorities has proven to be very low; it did not depend on the respondents' place of residence or the frequency of their trips abroad. The vast majority of students had some experience with stereotypes and prejudice. In the students' opinion, discrimination can be prevented by obtaining the information about other cultures. In their professional life, students of nursing will need to utilize much of their cultural competence. Therefore prospective healthcare professionals should be taught how to understand cultural differences and how to prevent discrimination. Nowadays not only emotional sensitivity or empathy, but also cultural sensitivity seem to be necessary in the work of nurses.