Workplace Interactions of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Nurses in Hospitals: A Systematic Qualitative Literature Synthesis.

INTRODUCTION

Coherent understanding of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) nurses' interactions in hospitals is limited. The aim was to synthesise evidence of interactions.

METHOD: Systematic review methods.

INCLUSION: peer-reviewed primary studies (all designs) on CALD nurses' hospital interactions in English or Finnish.

EXCLUSION: native-speaking CALD nurses, students, interpreter-mediated interactions, and simulations. Latest search in April 2025: four databases and Google Scholar without time restrictions.

KEY TERMS: CALD nurses, language, interaction, and hospitals.

DATA SYNTHESIS: deductive-inductive content analysis. Reporting: PRISMA statement.

RESULTS

Fourteen qualitative studies were included. Interactions were categorised into language and terminology of nursing, activities performed through interaction, models and practices of interaction, style and tone of interaction, and interactional asymmetries.

DISCUSSION: Findings synthesise the characteristics, challenges, barriers, and facilitators of interactions, describing how they shape interactions as interconnected. The findings inform education and workplaces in developing practices such as simulations and language mentoring to enhance interactions.