Transcultural care values and nursing practices of Philippine-American nurses

Abstract

The purpose of this ethnonursing research was to discover, explicate, and analyze the nursing care values and caregiving practices of Philippine nurses working in an American hospital context. The study, which was part of a larger study, was conceptualized within Leininger's theory of culture care. Consistent with the tenets of the theory, a brief overview of Philippine world view, social structure, culture, and ethnohistory was provided. Qualitative analysis of observation-participation and interview data revealed a major care theme of obligation to care. This care theme was supported by three care patterns which were: 1) expressed seriousness and dedication to work, 2) attentiveness to physical care as comfort, and 3) respect and patience as caring modalities. The study also showed that Philippine-American nurses attempted to achieve cultural care congruence by preserving some generic care values and practices, by accommodating to some of the host professional culture's values and practices, and by restructuring or repatterning less serviceable values. Implications for transcultural nursing education, practice, and research were discussed.