Reflecting on transcultural care : culture care theory and mental health nursing

This intrinsic case study explores the mental health nursing care of a consumer that was born in mainland China and who had migrated to Australia. The perception and understanding of mental illness from a Chinese migrant perspective can differ from the western cultural view. These differences can provide challenges for Chinese migrants and the health services that deliver care. The case study occurred at a 20-bed inpatient unit which admits people suffering from mental illness or severe behavioral disturbances from within the metropolitan suburbs of Sydney, Australia. Using Leininger’s ‘Culture Care Theory’, the consumers nursing care is explored from the key parts of the theory which include; culture care preservation and or maintenance, culture care accommodation and or negotiation and culture care restructuring and or repatterning. Implications for the consumer’s mental health care are discussed and recommendations for the mental health nursing care of Chinese migrants from a culture care perspective are suggested.