Transcultural nursing

Transcultural Nursing is a comparative study of cultures to understand similarities (culture universal) and differences (culture-specific) across various human groups. Culturally competent nurses use a combination of skills, attitudes, and behaviors to provide quality nursing care to all cultural groups.

Definition

Transcultural nursing is defined as a formal area of study and practice that focuses on the comparative cultural care (caring) values, beliefs, and practices of individuals or groups of similar or different cultures. Transcultural nursing's goal is to provide culture specific and universal nursing care practices for the health and well-being of people or to help them face unfavorable human conditions, illness, or death in culturally meaningful ways.

History

The concept of transcultural nursing came into existence due to the need for nurses to provide culturally competent care for patients. This concept was first proposed by Madeleine Leininger, who in the 1950s, recognized the need for nurses to consider cultural aspects while caring for patients.

Principles

Transcultural nursing is guided by several principles, including the principle of cultural preservation, cultural accommodation, cultural repatterning, and cultural brokering.

Importance

Transcultural nursing is important in the healthcare setting because it provides tools for nurses to better understand and respect the cultural perspectives of patients. This understanding and respect improve patient satisfaction, increase adherence to treatment, and improve health outcomes.

See Also

• Cultural Competence
• Madeleine Leininger
• Nursing