Nursing: Nursing Theorist Madeleine Leininger and Imogene

¶ … Nursing: Nursing Theorist Madeleine Leininger and Imogene King The objective of this study is to compare the nursing of nursing theorist Madeleine Leininger and Imogene King and to address how pain is perceived by the patient and how it is addressed by the nurse.

Nursing theorists have defined their theoretical frameworks though their experiences that are "personal, socioeconomic, political, spiritual and educational…" (Tourville and Ingalls, 2003, p.20) These elements have been applied by the nursing theorists in the development of their theories and in defining terms and concepts that assist in explaining those theories. (Tourville and Ingalls, 2003, paraphrased) Three models of nursing include: (1) interactive; (2) systems; and (3) developmental.

Theories and concepts of nursing are reported to develop "as scientific knowledge is supported by research and nursing practice." (Tourville and Ingalls, 2003, p.22) Leininger Madeline Leininger started the development of the first transcultural theory of nursing in the 1950s known as the Culture Care Theory. Leininger viewed that there was a need for this type of theory as nurses traveled, immigrated, and were exposed to a diversity of culture.

Leininger held that care is the critical basis of nursing and states, "There can be no curing without caring, but caring can exist without curing." (Tourville and Ingalls, 2003, p.23) Leininger held that there are two types of caring: (1) generic caring; and (2) professional caring.

Generic caring is caring that refers "to the folk, familiar, natural, and lay care that is sued and relied upon by cultures as their basic primary care practices." (Tourville and Ingalls, 2003, p.29) Professional care is stated to refer "to the learned and practice care by nurses prepared in schools of nursing and used largely in clinical professional contexts." (Leininger, p.72) The care in Leininger's developmental model is based upon a holistic approach such as in Leininger's "sunrise model." Leininger believed that information that nurses obtain related to holistic view of "people, groups, families, and institutions" resulted in a more holistic understanding of people.

(Tourville and Ingalls, 2003, paraphrased) Leininger's definitions within her nursing care theory include the following: Culture Care -- culturally derived, assistive, supportive, or facilitative acts toward or for another individual or group; Culture care diversity -- Cultural variability of differences in care among cultures; Culture care diversity -- Cultural variability or differences in care among cultures; Culture care universality -- the commonalities or similar culturally-based care; Worldview -- the way individuals or groups look out on and understand their world around them; Emic -- the local or insider's views and values; Etic -- the outsider's views and values; Health -- a state of well-being that is culturally constituted, defined, values, and practices by individuals or groups that enables them to function in their daily life; Nursing -- a learned humanistic and scientific profession and discipline that is focused on human caring.

(Leininger, 1996 cited in Tourville and Ingalls, 2003, p.30) II. King Imogene King's nursing theory describes an interpersonal relationship which is dynamic and one in which the individual experiences growth and development toward meeting goals that have set in life. The attainment of those goals are impacted by roles, stress, time, and space. King held that nursing is a focus on the care of a human being and nursing goals is the health care of individual patients and groups of patients.

From King's view, human beings are open systems that interact with their environment constantly. The basic assumption in the goal attainment theory is that the client and nurse relate information and set mutual goals taking action to achieve those goals. This is also held to be the primary assumption of the nursing process.

King stated "Each human being perceives the world as a total person in making transactions with individuals and things in the environment." (Nursing Theories, 2012, p.1) Also stated by King is that "transaction represents a life situation in which perceiver & thing perceived are encountered and in which person enters the situation as an active participant and each is changed in the process of these experiences." (Nursing Theories, 2012, p.1) The major concepts of King's nursing theory include the following interacting systems: (1) social; (2) interpersonal; and (3) personal.

(Nursing Theories, 2012, p.1 ) The concepts for the personal system include perception, self, growth & development, body image, space and time. The interpersonal system concepts include those of interaction, communication, transaction, role, and stress. Social system concepts include the elements of organizations, authority, power, status, and decision-making. King proposed in her theory that if the nurse-client interactions are perceptual interactions that transaction will occur and that if the nurse and client make the transaction the goal will be achieved. (Nursing Theories, 2012, paraphrased) Where.