Background: To test the validity of the Finnish version of the Bernhard et al.'s Cross-Cultural Competence instrument of Healthcare Professionals (CCCHP).
Methods: The study sample comprised registered nurses (N = 810) from the Finnish "Competent workforce for the future" -project (COPE). Exploratory factor analyses and structural equation modelling were applied to test structural validity of the CCCHP. Internal consistency of the sub-scales was evaluated using the Cronbach's alphas. Criterion validity was explored in terms of received education for multicultural work, perceived difficulty of patients, and job satisfaction variables.
Results: The revised version of the instrument including four (motivation/curiosity, attitudes, skills and emotions/empathy) of the five original dimensions provided satisfactory psychometric properties (internal consistency, a good model fit of the data). Of the four remaining competence sub-scales, motivation/curiosity, attitudes and emotions/empathy were associated with the amount of received education for multicultural work, and all with perceived difficulty of patients, and all but attitudes with job satisfaction.
Conclusion: This revised Finnish version of the CCCHP provides a useful tool for studies focusing on the healthcare personnel's cross-cultural competence in delivering effective and culturally sensitive healthcare services for patients from different cultures.
Keywords: Cross-cultural competence; Emotions; Empathy; Foreign-born; Healthcare professionals; Multicultural; Psychometric properties; Survey.