1.3.1.

Lesson: Theoretical Foundations of Transcultural Nursing

NCM 120A
Ms. Maricel Abalona RN, MN || August 22, 2022

Course Content: Theoretical Foundations of Transcultural Nursing - Currently five classifications; however, some people may identify with more
than one ethnicity/race.

1. Anthropology and Culture Race

2. Historical and Theoretical Foundations of Transcultural Nursing - Refers to a group of people who share such genetically transmitted traits as
skin color, hair, texture, and eye shape or color
3. Cultural Context
- Races are arbitrary classifications that lack definitional clarity; all cultures
A. Transcultural Nursing have their own ways of categorizing or classifying their members.
 the blending of nursing and anthropology into an area of
specialization within the discipline of nursing. II. Historical and Theoretical Foundation of Transcultural Nursing

 Conceptualized by Dr. Madeleine Leininger. Transcultural Nursing:

- Dr. Madeleine M. Leininger, nurse anthropologist
 A formal area of study that uses the concepts of culture and caring
- Initial conception
Transcultural Nursing (TCN) – is a nursing specialty focused on the
comparative study and analysis of cultures and subcultures. - Formal creation as a specialty and new discipline within the profession in the
1960s – 1970s
It examines these groups with respect to their:
- Nurse scholars have generated a substantial and important body of
 Caring behavior theoretical, research, and evidence-based knowledge in TCN, which is ongoing.
 Nursing care
 Health-illness values and beliefs 8 Factors that influenced Dr. Leininger to establish tcn as a
 Patterns of behavior framework for addressing 20th century and health care challenges
and issues
Transcultural Nursing’s GOAL is to:
1. A marked increase in the migration of people within and between countries
- Develop a scientific and humanistic body of knowledge in order to provide worldwide.
nursing care that is both
2.A rise in multicultural identities, with people expecting their cultural beliefs,
 Culture specific values, and ways of life to be understood and respected by nurses and other
 Culture universal health care providers.
3. An increase in health care providers’ and patients’ use of technologies that
Culture-specific refers to:
connect people globally and simultaneously may become the source of conflict
- Particular values, beliefs, and patterns of behavior that tend to be special or with the cultural values, beliefs, and practices of some of the people receiving
unique to a group and do not tend to be shared with members of other cultures care.
4. Global cultural conflicts, clashes, and violence that impact health care as
Culture-universal refers to:
more cultures interact with one another
- The commonly shared values, norms of behavior, and life patterns that are 5. An increase in the number of people traveling and working in different parts
similarly held among cultures about human behavior and lifestyles. of the world

I. Anthropology 6. An increase in legal actions resulting from cultural conflict, negligence,

ignorance and imposition of health care practices.
The study of humans including their: 7. A rise in awareness of gender issues, with growing demands on health care
systems to meet the gender and age specific needs of men, women and
 Origins
children
 Behavior
 Social relationships 8. An increase demand for community and culturally based health care
 Physical and mental characteristics services in diverse environmental contexts
 Customs
 Development through time and in all places in the world Leininger’s Contribution to Transcultural Nursing
Theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality
Culture (as defined by Leininger) the “learned, shared, and transmitted values,
beliefs, norms, and lifeways of a particular group of people that guide thinking, Focuses on describing, explaining, and predicting nursing similarities and
decisions, and actions in a patterned way. differences focused primarily on human care and caring in human cultures.
Culture is the blueprint that provides the broadest and most comprehensive Sunrise Enabler
means to know, explain, and predict people’s lifeways over time and in
different geographic locations.” Visual representation of the concepts of her theory. Based on the concept of
cultural care that guides nursing judgments and activities to provide culturally
 Influences a person’s definition of health and illness congruent care
 Oftentimes connotes a person’s racial or ethnic background.  Established the Transcultural Nursing Society (TCNS)
 TCNS Newsletter
Culture also encompasses:
 Created the Journal of Transcultural Nursing (JTN) and served as
 Socioeconomic status founding editor
 Ability or disability  Established the first master’s and doctoral programs in nursing with a
 Sexual orientation theoretical and research focus in TCN
 Created a new qualitative research method called enthnonursing
 Age
research to investigate phenomena of interest in TCN
 Occupation or profession
Ethnicity
- The perception of oneself and a sense of belonging to a particular ethnic
group or groups. It can also mean feeling that one does not belong to any
group because of multiethnicity.

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 - Purnell Model for Cultural Competence

Advancements in Transcultural Nursing

Expanded models by nursing scholars:

- Giger and Davidhizar Transcultural Assessment Model - Campinha-Bacote Model of Cultural Competence in the Delivery of
Healthcare Services

- The Core Curriculum has been established to support TCN practice with a
core base of knowledge.
- Used in a variety of practice settings.
- Two (2) certifications offered in TCN, basic and advanced.
Andrews/Boyle Transcultural Interprofessional Practice (TIP) Model

- A new model, uses the scientific process for delivering culturally congruent
quality care to people from diverse backgrounds across the life span.

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- Facilitates the delivery of nursing and health care consistent with cultural
beliefs and practices of clients from diverse backgrounds.
- Provides a conceptual framework to guide nurses in the delivery of culturally
congruent care that is theoretically sound
- Components of the model; the context from which people’s health-related
values, attitudes, beliefs, and practices emerge:
1. Interprofessional Health Care Team
2. Communication
3. Problem Solving

Interprofessional Health Care Team

- Client at its core
- May also include: Family and support persons, other healthcare personnel,
traditional, folk and religious healers
- All providers working together to deliver the highest quality of care
- A partnership among client and providers that establishes trust, collaboration,
cooperation and communication

Communication
- Latin verb communicare – to share
- Refers to the meaningful exchange of information between one or more
participants.
- Verbal – spoken word, language (over 6,000 worldwide), tone of voice,
abbreviations, idioms
- Nonverbal – how people convey meaning without words. Facial expressions,
gestures, posture, physical distance, silence, eye contact
- Mixed – modesty, technology assisted
- Aspects of communication that are importance for transcultural nurse

 Language
 Interpreters
 Greetings
 Silence
 Eye contact
 Facial expressions
 Gestures
 Posture
 Chronemics (time)
 Proxemics
 Modesty
 Touch
 Technology-assisted communication
 Literature
 Art
 Music
 Dance

Problem solving
- Guides health care teams in determining what the client needs to obtain
optimal well-being and health.
- Comprehensive assessment skills
- Mutual goal setting
- Planning care
- Implementing care
- Evaluation of care to achieve the goals of:
*Culturally congruent competent quality care based on evidence
and best practice

 Proficiency in using the problem-solving process requires time and

repeated simulated and/or clinical experiences.
 Developing competence is uneven and nonlinear, as is the process of
developing cultural competence.

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