Leininger’s Theory in Undergraduate Nursing Studies Essay

The nursing theory provides nurses with the necessary frameworks that allow them to provide high-quality healthcare services. These theories address various aspects of contemporary nursing (Alligood, 2014). For instance, they equip nursing professionals with approaches to the provision of health services associated with particular clinical procedures, psychological support, social aspects, and so on. Leininger’s theory is one of the paradigms that focus on the essence of care and the role of the cultural background (Giger, 2016). This paper dwells upon this theory and its importance. The paper includes sections concerning the importance of nursing theory, major features of Leininger’s theory as well as its application to specific professional nursing practice.Leininger’s Theory in Undergraduate Nursing Studies Essay

Importance of Nursing Theory
It is necessary to note that some people focus on practical skills in nursing rather than nursing theories. They think that an effective nurse should be able to carry out a number of clinical procedures, which makes the knowledge of theories rather irrelevant. Nonetheless, the way clinical procedures are implemented as well as the way health services are delivered, is often shaped by the approach the nurse utilizes (Alligood, 2014). These approaches have been described by practitioners who created relevant theoretical frameworks that could be used for the development of the knowledge base in the field. In simple terms, theories can be regarded as a refined experience of thousands of practitioners.Leininger’s Theory in Undergraduate Nursing Studies Essay

Clearly, nursing theories should be a part of the curriculum in medical school, especially when it comes to postgraduate courses. Nurses with the Master’s degree should be aware of the variety of strategies and approaches to the delivery of care (Prosen, 2015). It is insufficient to know how to perform a set of clinical procedures, but it is vital to know various ways to deliver high-quality care that address all the aspects of health (physical, psychological, spiritual, social, and so on). Nursing theories also separate the nursing profession from other healthcare professions as they describe the principles and the major focus of nursing (which is care). Importantly, nursing theories have always been patient-centered as these healthcare professionals have been the hub between the hospital and the patient and their relatives (Alligood, 2014).Leininger’s Theory in Undergraduate Nursing Studies Essay

It is necessary to note that there are some concerns regarding the utilization of nursing theories in practice. One of these is the difficulty in translating theory to a particular context (Giger, 2016). Nurses have to work in diverse clinical settings with different stakeholders. Peculiarities of the community, staffing, and so on affect the way healthcare services are delivered. Therefore, some theories can be difficult to adjust to a particular situation, patient, healthcare facility, or community. Thus, nursing professionals have to choose a more suitable theoretical framework or adjust a theory, which is often associated with the development of a new one.Leininger’s Theory in Undergraduate Nursing Studies Essay

Summary of Leininger’s Theory
The nursing theory to be discussed is Madeleine Leininger’s Theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality that was first published in 1991 (McFarland, 2014). The latest edition of this theoretical framework dates back to 2006. The central concept of the theory is care that is seen as “the essence of the nursing and the dominant, distinctive, and unifying feature of nursing” (McFarland, 2014, p. 423). The theorist also stresses that cultural care is an important element of care since people are living in a multicultural world. Leininger claims that cultural care enables nursing professionals to provide high-quality health services to patients whose major needs are met. On the contrary, the renowned nurse emphasizes that the inability to provide cultural care can lead to patients’ dissatisfaction, undesirable health outcomes, the occurrence of moral and ethical concerns, and so on. The theorist states that the provision of cultural care is possible through proper communication and transcultural competence of nursing practitioners. Thus, formal, as well as on-the-job, education is seen as critical since future nurses (especially those holding a degree) should understand cultural peculiarities, trends existing in the society as well as theoretical paradigms to employ in their practice. Therefore, Leininger believes that transcultural care theory should be a part of the curriculum in medical schools.Leininger’s Theory in Undergraduate Nursing Studies Essay

It is necessary to note that Leininger’s theory addresses such metaparadigms as the person, health, environment, nursing profession. As for the first concept, the person, the theory in question, provides practitioners with a comprehensive approach to developing relationships with other stakeholders. According to this theory, people are characterized by various beliefs and biases that shape their behavior and decision-making. Importantly, the theory allows the stakeholders to create bridges and overcome various difficulties associated with cultural differences.