Date of Award

2019

Document Type

Restricted Access Thesis

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Department

Nursing

First Advisor

Joyce P Miller

Second Advisor

Deborah Schuhmacher

Abstract

Seeking to provide culturally competent End-of-Life (EOL) care is a phenomenological inquiry into the lived experience of the loss of a loved one. The participants in the qualitative study identified with a primary culture or ethnic heritage other than Midwestern American and were chosen to participate through voluntary convenience sampling. Individuals from Kenya, Mexico, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam completed the interview. The theoretical framework guiding the study was Leininger’s Cultural Care Diversity and Universality Theory, with the goal being to identify emerging themes in the narrative of the participants as they shared their personal experiences. The study revealed four primary themes where care could be improved: building trusting relationships, improving communication and reducing language barriers, being sensitive to family roles and social organization in relation to decision-making, and the need to create additional community support opportunities for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. Through thoughtful consideration of the lived account of the death of a loved one, along with a literature review of existing works exploring culturally relevant EOL care, strategies are identified to improve culturally competent care for diverse populations at EOL.

Identifier

SC 11.DNP.2019.Swenson.CL

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