Cultural impact of Islam on the future directions of nurse education

In this paper the cultural impact of Islam on the future directions of nurse education is considered. In so doing, Islam is demonstrated as a living and growing religion, transcending almost all races and cultures in many parts of the globe. The historical review of Islam suggests its pervasive impact on almost all aspects of life: affecting both the East and West. In spite of an unjustified negative portrayal of Islam, it continues to grow at what is sometimes perceived as an unprecedented rate, having, it is estimated, one-billion followers, i.e one-fifth of the world's population. This signals the need for nurse education to take on board curriculum measures to incorporate spiritual and cultural dimensions in the care of Muslim patients. Therefore, curriculum strategies are identified for putting into action educational programmes that address the needs of Muslims. (C) 2000 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.