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| Dr. Madeline Leininger |
Wisdom is gained through experience, and it is through experience that we begin to understand how little we actually know. This epitomizes the journey of Dr. Madeline Leininger, a pioneer nurse who ultimately synthesized nursing and anthropology when she developed Transcultural Nursing Theory. This blog post will discuss Dr. Leininger’s journey to reaching this monumental achievement, as well as address what specifically transcultural nursing theory is and how it is applied to nursing practice.
Dr. Leininger was born on July 13, 1925 in Sutton, Nebraska. She lived in a rural area and grew up with several siblings. It was her tight knit family, particularly her closeness to her aunt, who suffered from congenital heart failure, that inspired her to pursue a career in nursing. She applied to a nursing program in Denver, Colorado, in 1945, but she ultimately earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences from Benedictine University (located in Atchison, Kansas). In 1950 she opened a psychiatric nursing program at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, followed by earning her Master’s in Nursing in 1954. She moved on to serve as an Associate Professor of Nursing and Director of the graduate nursing program at the University of Cincinnati between 1954-1960.
It was here where she first started to explore anthropology. This came about as she was practicing nursing and working with children. She noted that children from different cultural backgrounds were not receiving the same level of care as those whose cultural backgrounds matched nurses. She began having conversations with anthropologist Margaret Mead, which ultimately led her to pursue her doctoral work in anthropology at the University of Washington (Seattle). She conducted fieldwork in Papua New Guinea, observing and learning from the local people about how they viewed health, illness, and medical care, and she realized that there were stark differences from what she understood through her nursing education and practice. But more importantly, she realized that there were similarities and the need to respectfully incorporate diverse ideas into medical care provided to patients of diverse cultural practices. In 1965 she completed her doctorate, becoming the first professional nurse with a Ph.D. in anthropology.
Dr. Leininger’s doctoral work and experiences led her to develop Transcultural Nursing Theory. She recognized that the primary role of nurses is to assist patients with their healthcare, which includes educating them about their health status and health care options. Sometimes nurses must do this when the patient has vastly different beliefs and ideas about what is defined as healthcare and what the nurses themselves believe in appropriate treatment options. This is where transcultural nursing theory comes in. This theory recognizes that some cultural groups have different views of healthcare, such as employing the symbolic therapeutic process, which associates illness with specific symbols and utilizes rituals as healthcare treatments. For example, this is commonly found among the Hmong, who traditionally have beliefs radically different from that held by Western medical professionals, but these ideas about the symbolic nature of illness are also present within American and other Western cultures. For example, individuals who believe that certain illnesses can be combated solely with chicken noodle soup and an “appropriate diet”, however that is defined, fall within this categorization. From protective amulets to prayer nurses will be confronted with various remedies and ideas that help reassure the patient but may not be a medically credible preventative method or treatment option. Nurses must acknowledge these choices their patients make, remaining respectful, while also providing the appropriate level of care available.
Transcultural nursing acknowledges the above, as well as the role of the patient, their family, friends, and communities in how the patient chooses and acts on medical advice and options. Through the acknowledgement, recognition, and incorporation of faith based or traditional medical practices nurses, and ultimately other medical professionals, can provide the best treatment options to their patients. This generates trust between the patient and nurse(s), thereby encouraging best practices in treatment of the patient and their medical and cultural needs.
Dr. Leininger ultimately went on to teach Transcultural Nursing in various programs across the United States, including the Universities of Colorado, Washington, Utah, Nebraska, and ultimately at Wayne State University, where she ultimately retired from. Her pioneering theory catapulted her to various academic positions, and she was highly sought after for developing and refining nursing programs to incorporate Transcultural Nursing Theory. She also served as an educator of anthropology at several of the schools, particularly as she was the first Registered Nurse to also hold a Doctorate in Anthropology. She received numerous awards from academic and professional organizations for her contributions, which have become a standard in nursing education and practice.
Bibliography
Cerino, V. (2012, August 14). Legendary nurse, Madeleine Leininger, Ph.D., dies at 87. Retrieved from University of Nebraska Medical Center Newsroom: https://www.unmc.edu/newsroom/2012/08/14/legendary-nurse-madeleine-leininger-ph-d-dies-at-87/
No Author. (n.d.). The Madeleine M. Leininger Collection. Detroit: Wayne State University.
Petiprin, A. (2023). Madeleine Leininger - Nursing Theorist. Retrieved from Nursing Theory: https://nursing-theory.org/nursing-theorists/Madeleine-Leininger.php
Transcultural Nursing Society. (2012). Dr. Madeleine M. Leininger Foundress, Transcultural Nursing Society, Leader in Human Care Theory and Research (July 13, 1925-August 10, 2012) . Retrieved from Transcultural Nursing Society: https://tcns.org/madeleineleininger/
University of Maine-Fort Kent. (2020, February 7). Transcultural Care in Nursing. Retrieved from University of Maine-Fort Kent: https://online.umfk.edu/nursing/rn-to-bsn/transcultural-care-in-healthcare/
1 comment:
I think Dr. Madeline Leininger's life itself and accomplishments represent a search for true wisdom and understanding. According to the article, she developed the transcultural theory, which I think makes tremendous sense. I think this theory makes a lot of sense, because by developing an understanding of a patient's cultural beliefs and traditions, we can provide the best possible care for that patient. I have learned that she has had an important impact on the nursing industry and nursing education by using this transcultural nursing theory.
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