The culture and caring theories that most resonate with me for my practice as an NP are the Leininger Cultural Care Diversity and Universality Theory and the Watson Caring Science Theory.
Leininger Cultural Care Diversity and Universality Theory
Leininger’s theory is based on the belief that culture is the “pattern of lifeways of a particular group of people” and that caring is “the essence of nursing.” The theory proposes that nurses should provide culturally congruent care that is tailored to the individual’s or group’s cultural beliefs and practices.
I identify with this theory because I believe that it is important to understand the cultural beliefs and practices of my patients in order to provide them with the best possible care. I also believe that caring is the essence of nursing and that nurses should strive to provide compassionate and holistic care to their patients.
Watson Caring Science Theory
Watson’s theory is based on the belief that caring is a “moral ideal” and that nurses should provide caring-healing practices that promote health and well-being. The theory proposes that nurses should use 10 caritas (acts of caring) to provide caring-healing practices, including:
- Forming a helping-trusting relationship
- Empathizing with the patient
- Promoting faith-hope
- Gentleness
- Protection
- Supporting the patient’s dignity
- Enhancing the patient’s sense of meaning and purpose
- Promoting transpersonal caring-healing consciousness
- Creative arts therapies
- Use of self
I identify with this theory because I believe that caring is a moral ideal and that nurses should strive to provide caring-healing practices that promote health and well-being. I also believe that the 10 caritas are important concepts that can help nurses provide more effective care.
How the theory integrates the nursing paradigm
Both Leininger’s and Watson’s theories integrate the nursing paradigm by incorporating the concepts of holism, caring, and the nurse-patient relationship. These theories also emphasize the importance of understanding the patient’s cultural beliefs and practices, which is a key component of holistic care.
How the theory helps to meet CLAS standards to advance health equity
Both Leininger’s and Watson’s theories can help to meet CLAS standards to advance health equity by providing a framework for nurses to provide culturally congruent care. This is important because it can help to ensure that all patients receive the care they need, regardless of their cultural background.
In addition, both theories emphasize the importance of the nurse-patient relationship, which is essential for building trust and rapport with patients from different cultures. This is important because it can help to ensure that patients feel comfortable sharing their cultural beliefs and practices with their nurse, which can help the nurse to provide more effective care.
Overall, I believe that both Leininger’s and Watson’s theories are valuable tools for nurses who want to provide culturally congruent care and advance health equity. These theories provide a framework for nurses to understand the importance of culture, caring, and the nurse-patient relationship, which are all essential for providing effective care to patients from different cultures.
