Transcultural Psychiatric Nursing: Diagnostic and Treatment Issues

The interface of anthropology and nursing guiding culturally competent care in psychiatric nursing

Nurses and all health care providers are called on to involve patients and families in health care decision-making and to accommodate culturally diverse populations. This article describes the Interface of Anthropology and Nursing Model (IAN), which is derived from the works of Kleinman and Peplau, classical theorists from anthropology and nursing, respectively. This model provides a framework for nurses to uncover cultural information through the elicitation, analysis, transfer, restructure, and feedback of explanatory models within the interpersonal nurse-patient relationship. Such integration of theory enhances a holistic nursing practice incorporating good communication, mutual decision making, and fostering patient agency.

Mental health nursing and cultural diversity

The focus of this article is on ethnic cultural difference. The establishment of a bi-cultural model of health care delivery has been a recent priority in New Zealand. Bi-culturalism has become an important concept for Maori and Pakeha (Europeans), working in partnership in the planning and implementation of mental health services in New Zealand. Adoption of the principles of respect and recognition of the uniqueness of different cultural identities, by nurses, has meant that clients who use mental health services in New Zealand are beginning to benefit from nursing care that is culturally competent.