Perceptions and experiences with nursing care: a study of Pakistani (Urdu) communities in the United Kingdom

The population of the United Kingdom reflects rich cultural diversity. Hence, nursing must respond to the challenges of meeting the needs of different ethnic groups and fulfilL the requirements of the Code of Professional Conduct. This article presents the findings of a study using grounded theory to explore the lived experience of Pakistani (Urdu-speaking) communities that received nursing care in a hospital setting in the United Kingdom. The study reflects national initiatives toward "consumer led" health care delivery. The findings illustrate a lack of congruence between the group's expectations and their experiences. Nurses were perceived to have a poor understanding of ethnic needs, portraying ethnocentric attitudes and behaviour. The participants attributed the lack of congruence mainly to the presence of racism in British health care systems. The author suggests possible changes at the strategic, managerial, and educational levels of health care delivery.