Learning Objective #1: Discover how qualitative research methods can be employed to improve nursing practice, education, and policy making that are based on culturally competent knowledge

Learning Objective #2: Recognize how cultural competence can be enhanced through ethnographic nursing research

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This ethnographic study of Mexican American men and the health care seeking process is an example of how qualitative research methods can be employed in evidence based nursing. Three methods of data collection were employed: extensive open-ended interviews with primary and secondary research participants living in the community, ongoing participant observation in the research setting, and examination of ethnographic documents and cultural artifacts. The findings of this study apply to a small element of the world's population; however, they highlight how nurses can discover what is important to people by employing qualitative research methods to improve nursing care. This study is important to the Mexican American community for many reasons. Being a man in Mexican American culture means being strong, able to work, and provide for his family. In order to fulfill their cultural obligations as men, men also must stay healthy and seek health care when needed. Often they do not. Knowing when and why men do not seek health care enables health care providers to better understand and serve the Mexican American community and for policy makers to advocate for them on their behalf.