Introduction
Leininger’s Culture Care Theory provides nursing which follows all cultural traditions. The theory was called transcultural when in 1995, Leininger defined the theory as a practice that focuses on comparative values and how people are cared for in different cultures. Culture is a priority for the Care Theory, and political, economic, and social factors are secondary (McFarland et al., 2019). An effective treatment happens when nurses and patients find a common solution to the existing problem and create strategic plans for the treatment according to patients’ cultural understandings and beliefs. Cooperation with diverse people expands nurses’ knowledge and increases their interest in gaining new skills.
Relevance to nurse practice
The main aspect of Leininger’s Culture Care Theory is cultural diversity, and nurses should always pay attention to all features of different cultures. At the same time, working with people of different cultures and beliefs, nurses expand their professional knowledge and study to cooperate with patients. By learning and sharing beliefs and norms, critical thinking, decision-making, and patience are developed. Cultural Care Theory usually teaches healthcare workers to be accurate in their working strategies and be ready for unpredictable outcomes in their practices (do Couto et al., 2018). Moreover, this theory gives nurses skills that help bring many diverse cultures together and help them communicate without any barriers.
Issues and concerns
Culture has a strong influence on almost all people in the world, and affecting set beliefs and reasonings might become a huge problem for healthcare workers such as nurses. Leininger’s Culture Care Theory teaches nurses to avoid sensitive topics closely related to different cultures. It is important for nursing to learn how to choose topics that can be covered while talking to patients and which cannot. For instance, political and economic might cause misunderstandings and unpleasant conversations. One of the hugest concerns is nurse training which takes a lot of time and resources as understanding the ways people behave in different cultures is a long process. Also, the ability to avoid pick conversations with patients is highly appreciated among healthcare workers.
Theory as a framework of evidence-based practice
Leininger’s Culture Care Theory is closely connected to evidence-based practice as it is scientifically approved and widely used in the healthcare system. According to Liang et al. (2019), the Care Theory can be widely used in child and adolescent care, and following cultural characteristics brings positive results. For example, by studying developmental theories and care theories, nursing students tend to understand the needs of every family of diverse cultures easily. Nurses with knowledge of Culture Care Theory are able to provide relatives of a seriously ill patient with extra support without moving to sensitive topics that might affect the personal sides of a person. Moreover, the uniqueness of this theory provides nurses with the ability to plan treatment according to the patient’s cultural understanding and follow all requirements to receive a better outcome.
Conclusion
The health care system should not underestimate the importance of theories, and Leininger’s Culture Care Theory is not an exception. The ability to listen and properly support a patient is one of the most important tasks for any professional nurse. The birth of the Care Theory has brought a large number of positive reviews over the last few years. Furthermore, the attitude of professional nurses, who can follow all cultural differences, has become better. Moreover, nurses are happy to receive new skills and knowledge which expand their minds and make them feel useful in the healthcare industry.
References
McFarland, M. R. & Wehbe-Alamah, H. B. (2019). Leininger’s Theory Care Diversity and Universality: An Overview With a Historical Retrospective and a View Toward the Future. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 30(6), 540-557. Web.
Do Couto, A. M., Caldas, C. P. & de Castro, E. A. B. (2018). Family caregiver of older adults and Cultural Care in Nursing care. Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem, 71(3), 1-8. Web.
Liang, H. F., Wu, K. M. & Hung, C. C. (2019). Evaluation of nursing students’ perceptions of their cultural care competency: A mixed method study in Taiwan. Nurse Education in Practice, 41. Web.