Madeleine Leininger’s Culture Care: Diversity and Universality Theory

Running head: MADELEINE LEININGER’S CULTURE CARE: DIVERSITY AND
UNIVERSALITY THEORY
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Madeleine Leininger’s Culture Care: Diversity and Universality Theory
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MADELEINE LEININGER’S CULTURE CARE: DIVERSITY AND UNIVERSALITY
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Madeleine Leininger’s Culture Care: Diversity and Universality Theory
The concept of theory analysis serves innumerable benefits when it comes to
development of theoretical knowledge and application of skills. In nursing, theory analysis
follows six steps which are the origin of the theory, its meaning, logical adequacy, usefulness,
degree of generalization, and testability. The purpose of these steps is to break down the theory
for easy understanding while at the same time making it easy to analyze. This paper uses the
above framework to analyze Madeleine Leininger’s transcultural theory of nursing. The theory
was coined by Madeleine Leininger in 1950s to address cultural caring and compassion when
dealing with patients from diverse cultures.
Origin of the Theory
Madeleine Leininger was a nurse by profession; hence this theory was developed in
1950s from her experience in the nursing faculty (Leininger, 1988). According to Beintarcort
(2016), Leininger made a significant observation while working as a nurse that there was no
knowledge of culture and care when dealing with patients from diverse backgrounds.
Leininger’s main observation was that components of cultural care could increase compliance
from the patient’s point of view and increase satisfaction. It is this motivation that made
Leininger to opt for a theory of providing culturally congruent care tailored towards fitting into
the group or individuals’ cultural beliefs and preferences. The primary goal was to eliminate bias
and disparities that denied people access to equal opportunities.
The Meaning of Leininger’s theory
The primary meaning of Leininger’s theory is that nursing care can fit in needs of people
with similar or diverse cultural backgrounds and beliefs. One of the main challenges that nurses
have been facing in the recent past involve the delivery of culturally safe and competent health

MADELEINE LEININGER’S CULTURE CARE: DIVERSITY AND UNIVERSALITY
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care due to diversity. Globalization has opened up the healthcare sector to the extent that nurses
are encountering patients from diverse backgrounds. As a result, there has been a need for
addressing the issue of transcultural healthcare, universality, and competency for nurses to
respond to varying needs of patients with the goal of avoiding medical errors, accidents, and
readmissions. Leininger’s theory of transcultural care fits into this framework because it address
the important and crucial aspect of beneficial health and congruent care that resonate with needs
and preferences of people in their own culture. This is an approach that seeks to enhance patient
satisfaction as discussed in Carmichael (2015). The premise of this theory is that different
cultures have varying caring behaviors, and it is the role of the nurse to deliver care that meets
the needs and beliefs of cultures regardless of their beliefs or social backgrounds.
Logical adequacy of the theory
This theory meets the logical adequacy standards when it is broken down into simple
meaning. The main key idea in this theory is the relationship between cultural competency and
safety and holistic service delivery to patients. Culture defines the way of life of a given society,
and one has to acquaint with the given culture before delivering services that will satisfy
members of that culture. People feel disrespected when healthcare providers fail to respect their
cultures. Different cultures have different behaviors, and one has to avoid collision that may
arise due to cultural differences. The delivery of congruent care depends on interpersonal
relationship between the healthcare and the provider. The use of the transcultural approach
makes sure that the patient and the nurse work together to create a culture that enhances
understanding with the goal of promoting healing and recovery of the patient. I believe that this
theory is logically adequate today where there is a need for prevention of diseases and promotion