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Because of globalization, immigration, and mass exodus from countries due to political conflicts, there is an ever-changing mix of people with diverse cultural backgrounds who require institutions to provide continuing education to ensure that effective services are provided to everyone. Part of the transcultural challenges involves religion, socioeconomic differences and languages, and ethnic backgrounds that differ. The objective of this study was to examine whether a transcultural training program for undergraduate nursing students in Israel could enhance students' cultural competence. In this study, 319 senior undergraduate nursing students were asked to complete the Transcultural Health Care Screening Questionnaire as a measure of their cultural competence. The students' cultural competence was satisfactory but less than it had been in previous years. The authors suggest that cultural competence needs to be considered as a contextual, developmental, and experiential process that requires ongoing attention and curricular revisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Religious concerns regarding the legitimacy of cadaveric organ donation have been found to be major inhibiting factors for people to consent to donate organs post-mortem for transplantation; this constitutes a major cause for the grave shortfall of available organs for transplantation. The purpose of this review is to explore the view of the three monotheistic religions, namely Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, toward cadaveric organ donation. The literature review reveals that all three monotheistic religions support cadaveric organ donation but within certain restrictions. We provide a detailed description of the approach of each religion and the inhibiting considerations as interpreted by religious authorities. Health professionals need to collaborate with faith leaders in order to optimize the education of the public of believers with regard to the benefits stemming from organ donation. Developing transplantation medicine does not depend solely on technical capabilities and expertise; rather, this development should go hand in hand with religious, traditional and cultural beliefs and rituals. Providing a believer with a religious authority about cadaveric organ donation is very effective in helping families and individuals cope with difficult and critical decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of the national plan for integrating the ultra-Orthodox Jewish population in academic studies and in order to promote its labor force participation, the Tel Aviv-Yaffo Academic College School for Nursing Sciences created a BSN program specifically for ultra-Orthodox men, for the first time in Israel. Ultra-Orthodox students’ entry into the academic world requires the program to be culturally sensitive without compromising on quality standards. The structure and context may be ultra-Orthodox, but the contents and learning experience expose the students to a different worldview than that of their religious studies. The ultra-Orthodox way of life requires adjustments also in the area of learning aids. Most important, the students are exposed to the Internet for the first time, and some of them are even unable to use a computer. The students in the first class of male ultra-Orthodox nursing students are the pioneers of this community. Their academic success in the first stage—and integration in the labor market in the second—is a test of the national labor force integration project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The benefits and disadvantages of posttransplant contact between a donor family and the organ recipient are disputed. In this study far more contacters reported benefits rather than disadvantages and noncontacters reported the opposite. The dissatisfaction of noncontacters with no contact was high: no less than 60% wanted some form of contact in the future. The authors conclude that contact has more benefits for the donor family than disadvantages, evidenced by families' desire to maintain contact with the organ recipient. Both donor families and organ recipients need the transplant coordinator's initiative and guidance on this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]