[Cultural safety: a concept analysis].

Cultural safety is a concept that is getting more attention in scientific literature on the cultural dimension of care. The difficulty of grasping its meaning and implications for research, education, and practice is frequently raised by authors. A concept analysis inspired by the evolutionary method of Rodgers was performed to better understand its meaning and its utility to the various fields of nursing. A systematic review of the literature was conducted using the databases CINAHL, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, EMBASE, ERIC, and Sociological Abstracts, in order to identify literature published between 1988 and 2012 containing the expression “cultural safety.” Sixty-eight documents were analyzed. Findings included the attributes, antecedents, and consequences of cultural safety. The evolution of cultural safety through the various sociocultural and political contexts and application domains is also addressed. Issues related to the definition and operationalization of the concept, as well as the ability to export it out of its context of emergence, are discussed. The concept of cultural safety needs further development and a theoretical integration before it can reach conceptual clarity and effective operationalization.