Transcultural nursing theory from a critical cultural perspective

This critical cultural discourse analysis explores the internal logic of Transcultural Nursing Theory and interrogates the underlying assumptions, goals, and strategies of this approach to race and other human and social differences. Drawing on examples from nursing textbooks and policy documents, I assert that Transcultural Nursing Theory operates from a liberal standpoint that focuses attention on a broadly defined, but narrowly applied, concept of culture. The goal of providing culturally competent care and the processes used to achieve that outcome reinforce, rather than transform, the social practices and relations that institutionalize the dominant approach to social and human differences.     

Transcultural nursing education: a view from within

There has been increasing interest in the nursing care of patients from minority ethnic communities in recent years. This has been linked to the promotion of transcultural competence within the profession in order to equip nurses to provide high quality and appropriate care within a multi-ethnic society. Nurse education has been identified as an ideal vehicle for the promotion of transcultural competence in both students and qualified nursing staff. However, many of the current approaches to transcultural education appear to reflect a single ethnocentric approach to transcultural education. This fails to appreciate the diversity which exists within both the profession and minority ethnic communities.The paper is written from a minority ethnic perspective and explores some of the issues for transcultural nurse education arising from this ethnocentric approach. It discusses some common approaches underpinning the provision of transcultural education and the potential consequences for a multi-ethnic profession seeking to 'value diversity'. It concludes that a review of some of the current approaches to transcultural education is required and suggests some practical points for consideration.     

Transcultural nursing assessment: a method for advancing nursing practice

Today a new generation of nurses with different cultural insights and a deeper appreciation of human life and values are developing a sensitivity for culturally appropriate individualized care. Although literature on clinical approaches in cultural diverse situations is mushrooming, relatively few theories on transcultural nursing provide a systematic method for comprehensive nursing assessment, which is necessary for both the nursing practitioner and the researcher to provide appropriate nursing care tailored for each client. Below an outline of the areas that need to be assessed when working with clients from multicultural populations.     

Absurdity and being-in-itself. The third phase of phenomenology: Jean-Paul Sartre and existential psychoanalysis

Existentialism and phenomenology are closely linked philosophies. Existentialism preceded phenomenology and is not considered a single philosophy but several schools of thought, both theist and atheist in thinking, which grew out of a reaction to traditional philosophy. The development of phenomenology is divided into three separate phases ultimately merging with existentialism. Following Second World War, the phenomenological movement gained momentum in France and encompassed many of the ideas of Edmund Husserl and Martin Heidegger. Gabriel Marcel, Maurice Merlieu-Ponty and, notably, Jean-Paul Sartre established a 'third phase' of phenomenology. This paper explores some of Sartre's ideas related to being and later applications through Medard Boss and R.D. Laing, and offers a short illustrative case vignette that shows the concepts as they might apply to nursing practice. Consideration is finally given to existential psychoanalysis as an applied research methodology     

Transcultural nursing in Australian nursing curricula

As a result of the fact that Australia is a multicultural society with many people who come from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB), the objective of the present study was to discuss the extent to which transcultural nursing education is incorporated into undergraduate nursing curricula. A survey was undertaken to determine the availability of nursing modules for undergraduate nursing students through Australian university websites on "transcultural nursing" or related modules. Although the inclusion of these modules into nursing education provide an opportunity for nurses to perceive and respond to different patient behaviors in multicultural societies, it is not sufficient to understand the complexity of the health care needs of a multicultural society. The survey findings suggest that many universities have not included transcultural nursing modules in their nursing curricula. To address this problem, more transcultural nursing modules need to be introduced into nursing curricula and nursing academics need to refine their attitudes about the importance of cultural aspects of patient care within nursing education.     

Transcultural nursing and a care management partnership project

Transcultural nursing and a care management partnership project
This paper aims to illustrate how Leininger's Theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality has influenced the research process of a study that emerged from a care management partnership between Canadian nursing teachers and Tunisian nurses. The purpose of the study was to investigate the meanings of care as viewed by university hospital-based Tunisian nurses. The qualitative analysis of data gathered through observation-participation and interviews highlights recurrent patterns and reveals three major professional care themes. For Tunisian nurses care means to secure the patient's cooperation towards the medical regimen within established rules in die hospital; to contribute to curing the patient by using current technology as well as by maintaining their technical skills and improving their medical knowledge; to take charge of the patient to assist the physician in treating disease. This study showed that Tunisian nurses emphasize curing rather than widely shared community values such as interdependence, intercommunication, understanding, presence and responsibility for odiers. Discussion of die study's findings draws upon the perspective provided by Freire's Oppressed Group Theory. In order to promote cultural congruence within the Care Management Partnership Project in Tunisia, the tfiree predicted modes of care within Leininger's theory guide die decisions and actions for future nursing research and partnership activities.