Transcultural Nursing

Madeleine Leininger

“ A comparative study of cultures to

understand similarities (culture universal) and
difference (culture-specific) across human
groups.”
TRADITIONAL CONCEPTS
OF HEALTH AND DISEASE
 Concepts of
Culture
Culture is learned by each generation
through both formal and informal life
experiences.

Language is primary through means of

transmitting culture.

The practices of particular culture often

arise because of the group's social and
physical environment.

Culture practice and beliefs are adapted

over time but they mainly remain constant
as long as they satisfy needs.
 Culture Awareness

It is an in-depth self-examination of one's

own background, recognizing biases and
prejudices and assumptions
about other people.
Purposes of knowing the Patient’s Culture and Religion
for Health Care Personnel

To heighten awareness of ways in which their own

faith system. Provides resources for encounters with
illness, suffering and death.

To foster understanding, respect and appreciation for

the individuality and diversity of patients beliefs,
values, spirituality and culture regarding illness, its
meaning, cause, treatment, and outcome.
 To strengthen in their commitment to relationship-centered medicine
that emphasizes care of the suffering person rather than attention
simply more to the pathophysiology of disease, and recognizes the
physician as a dynamic component of that relationship.

To facilitate in recognizing the role of the hospital chaplain

and the patient's clergy as partners in the health care team
in providing care for the patient.

To encourage in developing and maintaining a program

of physical, emotional and spiritual self-care introduce
therapies from the East, such as ayurveda and pancha
karma
Culturally congruent care
- Care that fits the people's valued life patterns and set
of meanings -which is generated from the people
themselves, rather than based on predetermined
criteria.

- Discovering client's culture care values, meanings,

beliefs and practices as they relate to nursing and
health care requires nurses to assumes the roles of
learners of client’s culture and copartners with client's
and families in defining the characteristics of
meaningful and beneficial care.(Leininger,2002)