Ethnonursing: A Qualitative Research Method for Studying Culturally Competent Care Across Disciplines

Authors

  • Marilyn R. McFarland The University of Michigan - Flint
  • Sandra J. Mixer University of Tennessee - Knoxville
  • Hiba Wehbe-Alamah University of Michigan - Flint
  • Renee Burk University of Tennessee - Knoxville

Abstract

Nurse anthropologist, Madeleine Leininger, developed the culture care theory and ethnonursing research method to help researchers study transcultural human care phenomena and discover the knowledge nurses need to provide care in an increasingly multicultural world. The authors propose that the ethnonursing method can be useful for research that addresses providing care in other disciplines, including education, administration, physical, occupational, and speech therapy, social work, pharmacy, medicine, and other disciplines in which research findings have implications for human care and health. The authors discuss the culture care theory and describe the ethnonursing research method’s enablers, data analysis phases, and qualitative evaluation criteria. The theory is presented as a guide for using research findings to design culturally competent and congruent care to promote well-being among diverse people, groups, communities, and institutions. Resources include a reference list of key source publications, a discussion of exemplar studies, and samples of a theory-based, open-ended interview guide and data coding system.

Author Biographies

Marilyn R. McFarland, The University of Michigan - Flint

Marilyn McFarland, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, CTN Professor, Department of Nursing School of Health Professions and Studies

Sandra J. Mixer, University of Tennessee - Knoxville

Dr. Sandra J. Mixer, PhD, RN, CTN-A Assistant Professor of Nursing University of Tennessee - Knoxville

Hiba Wehbe-Alamah, University of Michigan - Flint

Dr. Hiba Webhe-Alamah, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, CTN-A Assistant Professor of Nursing University of Michigan - Flint

Renee Burk, University of Tennessee - Knoxville

Renee Burk, PhD, RN, FNP-BC Knoxville, TN

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Published

2012-04-16

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Section

Articles