Design: The qualitative research method used for this study was the ethnonursing research method. The Culture Care Theory was used as the guiding framework. Five research questions were used to discover the emic views related to the domain of inquiry and focused on the culture care expressions and patterns, generic care practices, worldview and social structure, culture values and professional nursing care actions that influence the health and well being of elderly Puerto Ricans. The fifth question examined ways in which the predicted modes of the Culture Care Theory could be used to design culturally congruent nursing care for elderly Puerto Ricans.

Population, Setting: Key informants were Puerto Rican, male or female, age 60 years or older, living in a mid-sized community in eastern Pennsylvania. General informants were family or community members, 18 years of age or older, living or working in the community identified.

Concept: The domain of inquiry was the discovery of the meanings and practices of generic care and professional health care of elderly community dwelling Puerto Ricans.

Method: Twelve key informants were interviewed twice. Twenty-one general informants were interviewed one time. Field notes were maintained throughout the study.

Findings: Four themes were extracted from analysis of the data, and patterns to support the themes were derived from emic care constructs.

Conclusions: Discussion for culturally congruent nursing care within the nursing care actions of cultural care preservation or maintenance, culture care accommodation or negotiation, and culture care repatterning or restructuring are presented.

Implications: Implications for nursing theory, education, and practice are suggested to facilitate the provision of culturally congruent nursing care. Recommendations for further research are presented.

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Back to 15th International Nursing Research Congress
Sigma Theta Tau International
July 22-24, 2004