Information About the Society

Mission:  The mission of TCNS is to enhance the quality of culturally congruent, competent, and equitable care that results in improved health and well being for people worldwide.

 

Vision:  The TCNS seeks to provide nurses and other healthcare professionals with the knowledge base necessary to ensure cultural competence in practice, education, research, and administration.

 

Philosopy/Values:

 

TCN is a theory based humanistic discipline, designed to serve individuals, organizations, communities, and societies.

Human care/caring is defined within the context of culture.  

Culturally competent care can only occur when culture care values are known and serve as the foundation for meaningful care. 

Scholarship is the foundation of the discipline of TCN.  *

Advanced educational preparation in TCN enhances the practice of culturally competent care

Certification documents evidence of the ability to provide culturally competent care

To achieve our vision, the TCNS requires a stable financial base.

 

Goals of TCNS

 

  1. To advance cultural competence for nurses worldwide

  2. To advance the scholarship (substantive knowledge) of the discipline

  3. To develop strategies for advocating social change for cultural competent care

  4. To promote a sound financial non-profit corporation

 

*Scholarship in nursing can be defined as those activities that systematically advance the teaching, research, and practice of nursing through rigorous inquiry that 1) is significant to the profession, 2) is creative, 3) can be documented, 4) can be replicated or elaborated, and 5) can be peer-reviewed through various methods. http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Publications/positions/scholar.htm

 

Updated and Revised: October 19, 2005

 

 

Historical View of the Transcultural Nursing Society

In the mid 1950's Dr. Madeleine Leininger became a leader in establishing transcultural nursing as an area of study and practice. Since then courses and programs have been offered by nurse leaders prepared in transcultural nursing. The discipline has grown worldwide and is now recognized by nurses as essential to nursing and health care practices.

In 1974, the Transcultural Nursing Society was founded as a worldwide organization for nurses interested in advancing transcultural nursing in education and practice. Members of the Transcultural Nursing Society have been active and eager to share their ideas with other nurses as they teach and work with families, individuals or culturally diverse communities. The Society continues to serve as an important forum to bring nurses together worldwide with common and diverse interests to improve care to people of diverse and similar cultures. Members are active in consultation, teaching, research, direct care and in policy-making in national and transnational arenas.

Since its beginning, the Transcultural Nursing Society has sponsored annual conventions that cover a variety of contemporary issues and practices in the field of transcultural nursing. The annual conventions are held within the United States and in other countries such as Finland, Australia and the Netherlands. In addition, regional conferences are offered by chapters and other groups to meet special interests and needs of nurses. One unique feature of the conventions are that they are open to all nurses and to others world-wide who wish to network and to participate in discussions of topics and issues related to transcultural nursing and the goals of the Society.

In 1989 the Journal of Transcultural Nursing was first published with substantive theoretical, research and practice dimensions focused on transcultural nursing phenomena. This Journal is the official publication of the Transcultural Nursing Society.

Progress and Achievements of the Transcultural Nursing Society

  • Since the Transcultural Nursing Society was established in 1974, annual Transcultural Nursing Conferences have been held at different locations. These conferences are hosted by members in various states and countries and are scholarly meetings with high caliber presentations and new perspectives about nursing and cultures.
  • Publications from the conferences have been valuable and have been a main source of knowledge about transcultural nursing.
  • Transcultural nurse experts provide workshops, conferences, and consultation services to many different agencies and institutions.
  • Members of the Society have communicated with many nurses, schools, and agencies throughout the world regarding transcultural nursing. We have helped nurses develop curriculum content, research studies, and clinical use of transcultural nursing.
  • Several leaders have helped establish associate, baccalaureate, and graduate degree programs with a transcultural nursing focus as well as in-service and special research projects.
  • The Society offers a Graduate Student scholarship and two awards to promote research on an annual basis.
  • The Society offers the distinguished Leininger Transcultural Nursing Awards to two outstanding leaders in the field each year.
  • The Journal of Transcultural Nursing, published quarterly, began with its Charter issue in July 1989. Journal inquiries should be directed to Donna Barnes at the Transcultural Nursing Society Central Office.
  • On July 1, 1998, the Transcultural Nursing Society web site went online. The web site continues to be a valuable resource for health professionals seeking information about transcultural nursing the the work of the Society.
  • On May 8, 2001, the central office of the Transcultural Nursing Society was dedicated. The office resides on the campus of Madonna University in Livonia, Michigan (USA).