Leininger's Transcultural Nursing Theory

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Leininger's Transcultural Nursing Theory

Edward B. Taylor (1903) defined culture as “that complex whole which includes knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.” Clifford Geertz's (1973) culture definition was “the fabric of meaning in terms of which human beings interpret their experience and guide their action.” In 1990, Richard Fox went on to say that culture was “a set of understandings and a consciousness under active construction by which individuals interpret the world around them...or a tool kit or set of scenarios that individuals use to implement or to stage their daily life” (Vandenberg, 2010, p. 240). However defined, culture has the power to influence nursing care. Medeleine Leininger was the first to produce a theory and model stressing the importance of cultural care, or health care that incorporates the patient's cultural practices and needs. The goal of Leininger's Theory of Cultural Care Diversity and Universality (1978) was to expose the existence of varying cultural needs and behaviors (Vandenberg, 2010, p. 241).

Possessing personal aspirations of charitable and global nursing care, I believe the integration of cultural care, and its body of knowledge, into nursing care to be extremely important. It will help the nurse to understand how to individualize patient care plans relative to the patient's culture. I hope to acquire the understanding regarding common or uncommon health problems and treatments relative to race, nationality, culture, religion and lifestyle. While these factors are extending characteristics of transcultural care, I do not intend to go into detail pertaining to specific cultures and their connec...

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...al., 2013, p. 80).

References

Ansuya. (2012). Transcultural nursing: cultural competence in nurses. International Journal Of Nursing Education, 4(1), 5-7.

Law, K., & John, W. (2012). Homelessness as culture: How transcultural nursing theory can assist caring for the homeless. Nurse Education In Practice, 12(6), 371-374. doi:10.1016/j.nepr.2012.04.010

Lowe, J., & Archibald, C. (2009). Cultural diversity: the intention of nursing. Nursing Forum, 44(1), 11-18. doi:10.1111/j.1744-6198.2009.00122.x

Potter, P. A., & Perry, A. G. (2013). Fundamentals of nursing (8th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby.

Sagar, P. L. (2012). Transcultural nursing theory and models. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company, LLC.

Vandenberg, H. (2010). Culture theorizing past and present: trends and challenges. Nursing Philosophy, 11(4), 238-249. doi:10.1111/j.1466-769X.2010.00453.x

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