Introduction
For this assignment, I chose to watch the video about Madeleine Leininger and her transcultural nursing care theory. I decided to select this particular theorist because I believe that cultural awareness is vital to nursing if one aims to achieve the best possible outcomes. The video contains significant insights about Leininger’s life story and her reasons for recognizing the value of culture to care and researching them.
Agreement and Disagreement
I agree with Leininger that a nurse should be aware of the patient’s methods for dealing or coping with his or her illness. To that end, nurses should study the cultures of their patients and correctly determine values that are vital to the patient. They can then adhere to these values to maximize the well-being of the person in their care. However, I disagree with the idea that nurses should attempt to meld their cultural care patterns into the medical treatment procedures unless they are dealing with a person that belongs to the same culture. The act may cause cultural conflicts, and bringing together three different care patterns is a highly challenging task.
Surprises in the Video
I was surprised that Madeleine Leininger did not complete her higher education immediately upon finishing high school and that her decision to become a nurse was something she made based on a moment’s inspiration. In my opinion, the development of a theory requires scholarly inclinations, and a college provides appropriate facilities to perform research. However, according to Madeleine Leininger (n.d.), when Leininger decided that she needed more knowledge about the field, she began working in practical areas. Furthermore, her commitment to care and nursing, in general, made it seem as though she had considered nursing to be her calling before starting on the job, but Leininger claims in the video that she had no money and that another person inspired her to choose the career.
Video Recommendations
I would recommend another student to watch the video because it describes the rationale behind the development of the theory. According to Lehman, Fenza, and Hollinger-Smith (2016), cultural competency is a necessary trait in health care workers nowadays, and understanding that the term encompasses all possible diverse cultures is vital to the adoption of the feature. Leininger states that she did not limit herself to the customs prevalent in the U.S. and went to New Guinea to learn more about her topic of interest.
Received Value
The video helped me understand the core concepts and the development path of the transcultural nursing care theory. I have realized that the idea applies to all cultures, and a nurse should always be ready to analyze unique cultures that he or she has never encountered before and to prepare appropriate care for the patient. Furthermore, the video provided me with an insight into the values of the creator of the theory, which allows me to see the intentions and ideas behind the summarized ideas more clearly. I believe I will be able to apply the insights I have gained in my work.
Conclusion
I chose to watch a video about Madeleine Leininger because I wanted to know about the ideas behind the transcultural nursing care theory. The theorist’s story of her life path surprised me because I expected her to be more interested in the development of ideas and concepts. I would recommend the video to another student because it provides valuable insights into the life and beliefs of the creator of a notable part of the nursing theory. Overall, the video changed my perspective on the idea and broadened my horizons.
References
Madeleine Leininger – Transcultural Nursing Care. (n.d.). Web.
Lehman, D., Fenza, P., & Hollinger-Smith, L. (2016). Diversity & cultural competency in health care settings. Web.