Peer-reviewed article
Searching for content on female genital cutting/mutilation in curriculums of U.S. Nursing Schools.
Donnenwirth JA, Hess RF, Wyss L ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examined whether U.S. nursing schools teach students about female genital cutting/mutilation (FGC/M), which affects over 500,000 women and girls in the country. A survey of 403 nursing schools found that only 27% included FGC/M content in their curricula, mostly through classroom lectures rather than practical training. Most respondents did not know if nurses in their region cared for FGC/M-affected patients, suggesting a gap in awareness and preparedness. Schools aware of local need were more likely to include this content. The authors conclude that nursing education needs to better prepare students to provide culturally appropriate care to this vulnerable population.
Key points
- Over 500,000 women and girls in the U.S. are at risk for FGC/M due to their cultural heritage
- Only 27% of responding nursing schools taught FGC/M content in their curriculums
- 57% of respondents did not know if nurses in their region cared for FGC/M-affected women
- FGC/M was taught primarily through classroom lectures and rarely through simulation
- Nursing schools aware that local nurses provided care to FGC/M-affected patients were more likely to include curriculum content on this topic
Limitations
This is a cross-sectional survey study that cannot establish causation. The response rate and representativeness of the 403 respondents among all U.S. nursing schools is not clearly reported, limiting generalisability of findings.
Abstract
Background Over 500,000 women and girls in the U.S. are at risk for female genital cutting/mutilation, (FGC/M) because their cultural heritage is from countries where FGC/M is prevalent. Nurses lack knowledge about FGC/M, making them less likely to provide culturally congruent care. Little is known about FGC/M-related information in nursing school curriculums. Methods A total of 403 schools of nursing (SONs) responded to an anonymous online survey to identify the extent, placement, and educational approaches regarding FGC/M found in curricular content in nursing schools in the U.S. Results Fifty-seven percent of respondents did not know if nurses cared for FGC/M-affected women in the region where their nursing school was located. Only 27% of responding schools indicated FGC/M was taught in their curriculums, mostly in undergraduate programs, and primarily during classroom lectures, and rarely by simulation. SONs that were aware that nurses in their region provided care to women and girls at risk for FGC/M were more likely to have content on FGC/M in their curriculums. Conclusion Though respondents indicated that this topic is important to global nursing education, it appears that few U.S. nursing students are learning to provide culturally congruent care to women and girls at risk for FGC/M. It is vital that nurse educators include this topic in appropriate places in the curriculum, so that students learn the unique healthcare needs of this population.