Archives
Preface
Transcultural Health Care
Issues and challenges for nursing
John Daly
Dean, Faculty of Nursing Midwifery and Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney NSW
Debra Jackson
Professorial Fellow, School of Nursing, Family and Community Health, University of Western Sydney, NSW
Article Text
In planning this issue of Contemporary Nurse,we set out to publish international scholarly projects concerned with health and culture, issues that traverse health and nursing care, and in particular, how nurses could act in response to them.This is the first Australian journal to dedicate an issue to transcultural nursing. It speaks for the awareness of the centrality of culture to the provision of effective health care that nurses have in the region.
Since the Whitlam government adopted a multicultural ideology in the early 1970’s, culture has been placed squarely on the Australian health care agenda. It was a catalyst for Australian nurses to position culture as central to delivery of health care. Though various ideologies and perspectives currently exist within the discourses that surround health, nursing and culture, Madeleine Leininger’s pioneering work, which resulted in her Theory of Transcultural Nursing (1978) became the seminal body of knowledge about culture from a nursing perspective. Leininger developed the theory of 'Culture Care Diversity and Universality' in nursing in the early 1950’s, along with over 30 distinct concepts and many principles to guide nurses in transcultural nursing. The theory was to discover what is universal (or commonalities) and what was diverse about human care values, beliefs and practices, and was critical for a future body of transcultural nursing knowledge.
Madeleine Leininger’s Theory of Transcultural Nursing has stood the test of time. From its framework, worldwide research has demonstrated a value, applicability and appeal of the theory that crosses cultural borders. Today, Leininger’s ‘Sunrise Enabler’ (1997) cognitive map is used worldwide by many graduate and undergraduate students.
The growth of transcultural nursing internationally is indicative of a commitment by nurses to move towards a disciplinary base that is includes cultural care and embraces diversity in all its forms. Transcultural Nurse Consultant, Dr Akram Omeri in Sydney, and Olga Kanitsaki, Professor of Transcultural Nursing, at RMIT University in Melbourne, are two Australian leaders in this field. We are delighted they have both contributed to this issue. Largely through the efforts of these (and other) nurse leaders, transcultural nursing principles and practice continue to develop recognition in Australia. Leininger’s Theory of Transcultural Nursing is reaching out to a new generation of nurses, able to access the collegiality and support of likeminded peers through the Transcultural Nursing Network.
Discourse surrounding Leininger’s Theory of Transcultural Nursing further attests to its relevance in today’s world. These debates reflect the dynamism and volatility surrounding cultural care as a construct, and how we address nursing care in our daytoday practice as clinicians, researchers, educators and citizens.
Australian and New Zealand nurses have contributed to the discourse by raising questions about the appropriateness of a transcultural perspective for nurses (eg, Bruni 1988; Cooney 1994; Coup 1996; Swendson & Windsor 1996; Ramsden 2002). Much of the critique is informed by postmodern ideas addressing power, oppression and dominance. Ramsden (2002) has developed a theory of Cultural Safety that grew from the experience of colonisation and its associated social inequity and injustice.
With her Theory of Transcultural Nursing, Madeleine Leininger blazed a trail for others to follow. Her pioneering work has created a space for people to speak, engage, debate, contemplate, deliberate, develop and grow. Through raising awareness of cultural care as a legitimate area of study and authentic area of practice, Leininger opened the door for nurses to undertake research that looks at cultural aspects of health, sickness, nursing and health care.
This issue of Contemporary Nurse, titled Advances in Contemporary Transcultural Nursing, is comprised of four sections: Globalization: Nursing Education, Research and Clinical Practice; Culture and Health; Cardiovascular Health; and Mental Health. This collection reflects shared international concerns, examining through case studies, literature reviews and research articles, the impacts of globalization, migration, colonization, social inequity and technology on health care, health management and health behaviour of indigenous people, immigrants, ethnic groups and multicultural societies. Space and other considerations limit inclusion of a comprehensive range of topics. Our focus on these sections is indicative of clinical challenges to nursing knowledge and culturally competent care. They focus various aspects of culture as central to the health of people, families, communities and countries.
During the long peer review and production phases of this special issue we were challenged, stimulated and engaged in many ways. We acknowledge in particular the invaluable advice on each version of the manuscripts by the referees from over 15 countries, who are named in this issue. To make Advances in Contemporary Transcultural Nursing available to students and nonsubscribers, the Publisher (info@e-contentmanagement.com) has also made this issue available as a book (ISBN 0975043617) at discounted prices for individuals, researchers and course adoptions.
We trust that you will find the articles stimulating, engaging and valuable to your research, teaching and clinical practice. It is our honour to dedicate this issue of Contemporary Nurse to Professor Madeleine Leininger.
References
Bruni N. (1988) A critical analysis of transcultural theory. The Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing 5, 26–32.
Cooney C. (1994) A comparative analysis of transcultural nursing and cultural safety. Nursing Praxis in New Zealand 9, 6–12.
Coup A. (1996) Cultural safety and culturally congruent care: A comparative analysis of Irihapeti Ramsden’s and Madeleine Leininger’s educational projects for practice. Nursing Praxis in New Zealand 11, 4–11.
Leininger M. (1978) Transcultural Nursing: Concepts, theories and practices. Greyden Press, Columbus OH.
Leininger M. (1997) Overview and Reflection of the Theory of Culture Care and the Ethnonursing Method. Journal of Transcultural Nursing 8, 32–152.
Ramsden I. (2002) Cultural Safety and Nursing Education in Aotearoa and Te Waipounamu, PhD Thesis, Victoria University,Wellington.
Swendson C & Windsor C 1996. Rethinking cultural sensitivity. Nursing Inquiry 3, 3–12.
eContent Home