Introduction. Decision-making in culturally different patient care is conditioned by a number of factors: appropriate professional preparation, experience, knowledge of cultural differences, respect for the expectations of this group of patients and constant updating of knowledge in this field. It is therefore extremely important to diagnose the barriers and challenges faced by nurses caring for this group of patients to improve the quality of the services provided and to make possible changes in their pre-graduate and postgraduate education. Aim. The aim of the research was to identify possible problems faced by the nursing staff caring for a culturally/ethnically/religiously diverse patient: what they might result from, how and whether they are being resolved, what kind of support and from whom the subjects expect to meet the needs of this group of patients. Material and methods. The survey was conducted in a group of 107 nurses using a diagnostic survey and a proprietary questionnaire. Results. Respondents in the majority (57.9%) assessed their knowledge of culturally different patient care as insufficient. This could translate into difficulties in caring for culturally diverse patients, as confirmed by 38.3% of those surveyed. Conclusions. There is a need to continuously and systematically deepen the knowledge of culturally different patient care among nursing staff, regardless of the frequency of contact with this group of patients and their level of education. It is also worth considering the possibility of introducing appropriate issues in this area of care into the pre-graduate training of nurses.

Key words: culturally different patient, nursing care, problems in culturally different patient care.