Madeleine Leininger's Transcultural Nursing Theory

Madeleine Leininger was truly a pioneer for transcultural nursing. She spent her life promoting cultural education and understanding within the nursing profession. It is largely due to her efforts that cultural care is emphasized so much in the health care system. Leininger used her well-rounded education to question the norms when it came to diversity and worked hard to change the way those from diverse backgrounds are treated in the health care system.
Leininger herself came from a diverse family. Her mother was Irish and her father was German. Cultural diversity was a part of her life from the very beginning. She was raised by two people with drastically different backgrounds, and was therefore subjected to different cultures at a young age. This shaped her view of diversity and played an important role in her theory of transcultural nursing. Leininger received her bachelor’s and master’s degree in nursing. Interestingly enough, she decided to get her PhD in anthropology instead of …show more content…
Her theory of cultural care encompasses the ideas that learning about other cultures is vital to proper nursing care. She promoted cultural competence as a constant learning process rather than destination to reach. Mutual respect between patient and health care working can be found when they have knowledge of each other’s cultures. While it is impossible to know each culture to its fullest extent, a general knowledge should be achieved in order to promote cross cultural care. Cultural competence helps create a better environment in the health care system for culturally diverse patients, reduces cross cultural misunderstandings, and maximizes care for these patients. Gradually learning about other cultures, understanding and respecting the values and beliefs of others, and striving to make cultural care the norm for nursing care is what Leininger’s theory is all