BIOGRAPHY OFMADELEINE M. LEININGER, PHD, RN, CTN, LHD, DS, PHDNSC, FAAN

By DENNIS N. MUÑOZ, RN, RM, PTRP

Introduction

The Transcultural Nursing Society, founded in 1974, “...continues to serve as an important annual 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” (TCN Website, www.tcns.org). Dr. Leininger, credited with saying, “Caring is the essence of nursing,” established the Caring Conferences in 1978 as a forum for nurse scholars interested in advancing caring knowledge to gather for formal presentations, informal dialogue, and to evolve research related to caring sciences. This once small group has evolved into the International Association for Human Caring (IAHC).

All this began in the 1950’s, when Madeleine Leininger became fascinated with anthropology, finding many concepts she believed were pertinent to nursing. She became the first professional nurse to receive a PhD in cultural and social anthropology, and her vision of the “blending” of two fields, nursing and anthropology, led to her “Culture Care Diversity and Universality: A Worldwide Theory of Nursing.” As the mother of transcultural nursing and founder of the Transcultural Nursing Society, she has advanced transcultural nursing through education, research, administration, and practice. Dr. Leininger has been in demand for over 35 years as a consultant and speaker on issues relate to transcultural nursing and human caring in education and research, and continues such engagements to the present.

EDUCATION, PROFESSION AND PROFESSORIAL WORKS OF DR. MADELEINE M. LEININGER

(In time line presentation)

DR. MADELEINE M. LEININGER was born in Sutton, Nebraska on July 13, 1925, lived on a farm with four brothers and sisters, and graduated from Sutton High School. Her desire to pursue a career in nursing was due to her inspiration and experience with her aunt who suffered from congenital heart disease.

Dr. Leininger is a nationally and internationally known educator, author, theorist, administrator, researcher, consultant, and public speaker. She has been a distinguished visiting professor and scholar at approximately 70 universities in the United States, Canada, and overseas. As of 1995, she has written 25 books, published over 200 articles and book chapters, produced numerous audio and video recordings, and developed a software program. She has also given over 850 keynote and public lectures in US and around the world. Her areas of expertise are transcultural nursing, comparative human care, qualitative research methods, cultural care theory, culture of nursing and health fields, anthropology, and the future of nursing. Dr. Leininger’s professional career is recognized as an educator and academic administrator (1956-1995), writer (1961-1995), lecturer (1965-1995), consultant (1971-1992), and leader in the field of transcultural nursing (1966-1995).

1945 The post depression Period, Madeleine and her sister entered the Cadet Nurse Corps (a federally-funded program to increase the numbers of nurses being trained to meet anticipated needs during World War II ) and a diploma program at St. Anthony’s School of Nursing in Denver, Coloradao. They were the only persons entering the nursing profession within several nearby counties.

1950 Madeleine Leininger went on to receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Science, with a minor in Philosophy and Humanistic Studies, from Benedictine College (formerly Mount St. Scholastica College) in Atchison, Kasas

1950 Dr. Leininger opened a psychiatric nursing service and educational program at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska.

She earned the equivalent of a BSN through her studies in biological sciences, nursing administration, teaching and curriculum during 1951-1954.

While working in a child guidance home, Leininger experienced what she describes as a cultural shock when she realized that recurrent behavioral patterns in children appeared to have a cultural basis. She identified a lack of cultural and care knowledge as the missing link to nursing understands of the many variations required in patient care to support compliance, healing, and wellness (George, 2002). the beginnings (in the 1950s) of a new construct and phenomenon called transcultural nursing.

1954 She received a Master of Science in Nursing degree, with a minor in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing and Psychology, at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC.

1954to

1960

She moved on to serve as Associate Professor of Nursing (1954-1959) and Director of the Graduate Program in Psychiatric Nursing at the University of Cincinnati.

She also studied in this university, pursuing further graduate studies in curriculum, social sciences and nursing (1955-58)

There she began the first graduate program in psychiatric nursing at the University, as well as the first clinical specialist program in child psychiatric nursing in the country. During this time she also co-authored one of the first psychiatric nursing texts, Basic Psychiatric Nursing Concepts (1960), which has been published in eleven languages and used worldwide.

Early in her career, Leininger observed that traditional psychiatric interventions did not adequately address the needs and behaviors of children of differing cultural backgrounds.

While at the University of Cincinnati, she discussed her concerns regarding the influence of cultural factors in nursing care, as well as the potential of integrating the fields of nursing and anthropology, with visiting professor Margaret Mead.

1960 She pursued doctoral studies beginning in 1960; during this time she was awarded a National League of Nursing Fellowship for fieldwork in the Eastern Highlands of New Guinea, where she studied the convergence and divergence of human behavior in two Gadsup villages.

Dr. Leininger was the first in the 1960s to coin the concept "culturally congruent care" which was the goal of the Theory of Culture Care, and today the concept is being used globally.

1965 Leininger embarked upon a doctoral program in Cultural and Social Anthropology at the University of Washington in Seattle and became the first professional nurse to earn a Ph.D. in anthropology.

1966 Dr. Leininger was appointed Professor of Nursing and Anthropology at the University of Colorado– the first joint appointment of a professor of nursing and a second discipline in the United States.

1969to

1974.

She was Dean, Professor of Nursing, and Lecturer in Anthropology at the University ofWashington, School of Nursing.

In 1973, under her leadership, the University of Washington was recognized as the outstanding public institutional school of nursing in the United States.

1974 Dr. Leininger served as Dean, Professor of Nursing, Adjunct Professor of Anthropology, and Director

to1980

of the Center for Nursing Research and of the Doctoral and Transcultural Nursing Programs at the University of Utah College of Nursing

She was the first full-time President of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and one of the first members of the American Academy of Nursing in 1975.

1981 to

1995

She began her tenure at Wayne State University as Professor of Nursing and Director of the Center for Health Research at the College of Nursing, as well as Adjunct Professor of Anthropology in the College of Liberal Arts and Director of the Transcultural Nursing Program

While at Wayne State, Dr. Leininger won numerous awards, including the prestigious President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, the Board of Governors’ Distinguished Faculty Award, and the Gershenson’s Research Fellowship Award.

She was presented with the Women in Science Award from California State University, in addition to many other honors and awards she received throughout her career, 1990

She also established the Journal of Transcultural Nursing and served as editor from 1989-1995.

She initiated and promoted worldwide certification of transcultural nurses (CTN) for client safety and knowledgeable care for people of diverse cultures.

June 1, 1995

Dr. Leininger retired as professor emeritus from Wayne State University

At present

Dr. Leininger’s titles include: 1. Professor Emeritus of Nursing, Wayne State University College of Nursing; 2. Adjunct Clinical Professor at University of Nebraska College of Nursing; 3. Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing; 4. Distinguished Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing (Australia). 5. She was honored as a Living Legend by the American Academy of Nursing (1998), 6. Holds honorary degrees from Benedictine College (LHD, 1975), 7. University of Indianapolis (DS, 1990), 8. University of Kuopio, Finland (PhDNSc, 1991).