Sabinet | Similarities in the meta-paradigm of nursing and traditional healing : an attempt to contribute to the integration of traditional medicine and western medicine in Africa : overview
n Health SA Gesondheid - Similarities in the meta-paradigm of nursing and traditional healing : an attempt to contribute to the integration of traditional medicine and western medicine in Africa : overview
Author N.C. Van Wyk
Source : Health SA Gesondheid, Volume 10, Issue 3, Sep 2005, p. 14 - 22
Keyword(s) : Health, Integrated healthcare, Meta-paradigm of nursing, Traditional healing and Western medicine
The meta-paradigm of a discipline represents the global perspective of such a discipline and serves as an indication of how the practitioners of the discipline view the primary phenomena that are of interest to them. In studying the meta-paradigm of nursing and the principles of traditional healing interesting similarities are found. As in the case of nursing, traditional healing focuses on the person as a holistic human being. Man, in his totality, is viewed as an interacting being who is constantly not only in interaction with his environment, but who has an influence on the environment and the people around him. Diseases are not only associated with the physical parts of the body, but also with socio-cultural and supernatural aspects. Therefore, the environment has an influence on the occurrence of diseases in traditional healing as well as in nursing. The importance of the role that supernatural aspects in the environment play is emphasised in traditional healing. The balance between the person and his environment has to be secured in order to maintain health. In nursing as well as in traditional healing the promotion of health is considered as very important. Health promotion can be accomplished through health education in the case of nursing, or by protecting the person against harm through rituals in the case of traditional healing. Health is described, both in nursing and traditional healing, not only as the absence of disease, but rather as the well-being of the person. Not only are the similarities between the meta-paradigm of nursing and the principles of traditional healing an interesting research field, but it may also have specific implications for the development of an integrated healthcare system in Africa, where its peoples very often visit both traditional healers and Western-trained doctors and nurses in cases of illness.
Die metaparadigma van &apos;n dissipline verteenwoordig die globale perspektief van só &apos;n dissipline en dien as &apos;n indikasie van hoe die praktisyns van die dissipline die primêre fenomene wat vir hulle belangrik is, beskou. In die bestudering van verpleging en die beginsels van tradisionele genesing is interessante ooreenkomste gevind. Soos in die geval van verpleging, fokus tradisionele genesing op die persoon as &apos;n holistiese menslike wese. Die mens, in sy totaliteit, word beskou as &apos;n interaktiewe wese wat nie alleenlik konstant in interaksie met sy omgewing is nie, maar wat ook &apos;n invloed op die mense om hom het. Siektes word nie net met die fisiese dele van die liggaam geassosieer nie, maar ook met sosio-kulturele en bonatuurlike aspekte. Daarom het die omgewing &apos;n invloed op die voorkoms van siektes in tradisionele genesing sowel as in verpleging. Die belang van die rol wat bonatuurlike aspekte in die omgewing speel word in tradisionele genesing beklemtoon. Die balans tussen die persoon en sy omgewing moet verseker word ten einde gesondheid te handhaaf. In verpleging, sowel as in tradisionele genesing, word die bevordering van gesondheid as baie belangrik geag. Gesondheidsbevordering kan tot stand gebring word deur gesondheidsvoorligting in die geval van verpleging, of deur beskerming van die persoon teen leed deur rituele in die geval van tradisionele genesing. Gesondheid word in beide verpleging en tradisionele genesing beskryf as nie net die afwesigheid van siekte nie, maar eerder as die welsyn van die persoon. Die ooreenkomste tussen die metaparadigma van verpleging en die beginsels van tradisionele genesing is nie alleenlik &apos;n interessante navorsingsveld nie, maar dit kan ook spesifieke implikasies vir die ontwikkeling van &apos;n geïntegreerde gesondheidsorgsisteem in Afrika inhou, waar sy volkere dikwels beide tradisionele genesers en Westers-opgeleide dokters en verpleegkundiges in die geval van siekte raadpleeg.
Persistent Link : http://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC34972