Theory Summary
Major Concepts Madeleine Leininger hold the belief that culture guide and shape individuals through values, beliefs, and practices that are learned, shared, and transmitted from generation to generation (Alligood, 2015; Sitzman & Eichelberger, 2015). Furthermore, culture is essential in health care as it defines health, illness, and influences how individuals ' seek relief from disease …show more content…
First of all, Leininger’s theory aims to incorporate the patients’ personal needs and beliefs into patient care to optimized patient outcomes (Alligood, 2015). Additionally, Leininger believed that caring is at the core of nursing and the foundation for which nursing is built. As such, caring is rooted in human behavior and an essential and necessary element for survival. By integrating the theory into the nursing practice the nurse is essentially individualizing patient care on a holistic level to ensure the patient reach optimal health and/or retain their …show more content…
Nurses need to consciously address and incorporate patients’ personal, social, and cultural needs or beliefs into the plan of care where possible, to optimized patient care. Leininger further maintained, that nurses need to understand the meaning of care, health, illness, and well-being in relation to culture, as it is often embedded in the foundation of cultural lifeways and values. To be culturally competent the nurse need to integrate into their practice cultural desire, cultural awareness, cultural knowledge, cultural skills, and cultural encounters (Capinha-Bacote, 2011). Above all, the practicing nurse need to appreciate cultural diversity and strive to increase his/her knowledge associated with cultural