Dealing with diversity: incorporating cultural sensitivity into midwifery practice in the tertiary hospital of Capricorn District, Limpopo Province.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the current and patterned care life ways of mothers from diverse cultural groups that deliver their babies at level III hospital in Limpopo Province. Knowledge from the findings will be used to develop guidelines that will attempt to enhance the inco-operation of culture-sensitivity into midwifery practice. DESIGN AND METHOD: An exploratory, descriptive, contextual and qualitative design was used. The ethnographic approach was used. Semi-structured interviews and unstructured conversations were conducted with 24 mothers who are from diverse ethnic groups. Mothers were purposively selected. To analyse data, Mile's and Huberman's (1994) approach was adopted. This approach consists of three linked sub-processes, namely, data reduction, data display and conclusion drawing/ verification. To ensure trustworthiness in qualitative research, Lincoln and Guba's Model (1985) was implemented. FINDINGS: Four (4) themes emerged from the analysis of data, namely, expectations and experiences of midwifery care; meaning and value of childbirth; beliefs and cultural practices during childbirth and coping strategies used during childbirth. The guidelines were developed and fitted within the Sunrise Model Theory (Leininger, 1991:41) that includes the three modes, namely, culture care preservation and /or maintenance; culture care accommodation and/ or negotiation and culture care repatterning and/or restructuring.