Thesis (MCur)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The researcher has identified in her place of work that the multicultural views and work experience of the staff negatively impacts on optimal team coherence and patient care. Given the pivotal role that teamwork plays in an OR, it is required of the peri-operative (PO) nurses working in a Middle Eastern hospital, to develop a high cultural sensitivity and awareness of each other's values. The goal of the study through the hermeneutic inquiry was to identify the PO participants’ meanings of their perceptions and experiences within a multicultural workforce in the OR environment. A phenomenological interpretative research design was used to illuminate the phenomenon of team coherence and to answer the question, “What are the perceptions and experiences of a multicultural PO nursing team in a Middle Eastern hospital.” A purposive sample of n=13 was drawn from a population of 107 PO nurses. A semi-structured interview guide was designed and validated before data collection. Ethical approval and permission to conduct the research was obtained from the Ethics Committee at the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Stellenbosch and the Institutional Review Board of the Hospital. The data that emerged from the data analysis was coded and categorized into themes and constitute patterns. The four patterns were multiculturalism within PO nurse teams contributes to complex group dynamics; the pervasive influence of the medical model and power struggle on group cohesion; dominance renders the PO nurses powerless; and empowerment is the panacea to improving team communication. The researcher compiled a written account of the interpretations that emerged from the data analysis and verified it with an external research reviewer. In, addition, member checking was done on two (2) of the participants from the individual interviews to validate the transcribed data. The Conceptual Theoretical Framework of Habermas on Critical Social Theory and Freire’s model of Oppressed Group Behavior supports the findings of the study. The findings suggest that cultural values clarification should change the behavior of the PO nurses and team building activities should enhance group cohesion. Policies on disruptive behavior will create an awareness to illuminate fear and reiterate selfworth. However, empowerment through education, reflection in action and active communication was to liberate powerless PO nurses in a multicultural environment. The pervasive influence of the medical model can be overcome with strong leadership. Furthermore, culturally sensitive leadership might be essential to sustain a supportive and growth producing culture. Further research is recommended. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In die navorsers' werksarea het sy geindentifiseer dat die multikultirele uitkyk en werkservaring van die personeel optimale span koheise en pasientsorg negatief beinvloed. Gegee die deurslaggewende rol wat spanwerk in die operasiesaal speel, word dit van die teater verpleegkundiges in n hospitaal in die Midde Ooste verwag om n hoe kulturele sensitiwiteit te kweek. Die doel van die studie, deur hermeneutiese navraag, was om die persepsies en ervaringe van multikulturele PO verpleegkundiges in die operasiesaal te identifiseer. n Kwalitatiewe benadering met n fenomenologiese interpreterende navorsingsonderwerp was toegepas om die fenomenoom van span kohesie te illumineer deur die vraag te beantwoord, " Wat is die persepsies en ervaringe van 'n multikulturele PO verpleegspan in a hospitaal in die Midde Ooste". n Doelbewuste steekproef van n=13 is geneem vanuit n totale bevolking van 107 teater verpleegkundiges. n Semi-gestruktureerde onderhoudsgids was ontwerp en geldig verklaarg voor die insameling van data. Etiese goedkeuring vir die studie was verkry van die Etiese Komitee van die Fakultiet van Gesondheidswetenskappe, Stellenbosch Universiteit. Goedkeuring om die navorsing te doen, was verkry van die IRB, en toestemming was op skrif geplaas. Die data wat voortspruit uit die analise, was geenkodeer en gekategoriseer in temas en omvattende patrone. Die vier (4) pattrone was, multikulturalisme dra by tot komplekse groep dinamika te midde van die teater verpleegkundiges; die persewerende invloed van die mediese model en onderlinge struweling op groeps kohesie; dominering veroorsaak weerlose teater verpleegkundiges; en bemagtiging is die redding om komminuksie in die span te bewerkstellig. Die navorser het n geskrewe verslag saamgestel van die weergawe van die data analise en is deur n eksterne navorsingskundige geverifieer. Bykomend is kontrole van lede van twee (2) van die deelnemers vanuit die individuele onderhoude gedoen, om die getransskribeerde data se geldigheid te verklaar. Die Konseptuele Teoretiese Raamwerk van Habermas se Kritiese Sosiale Teorie en Freire se model van onderdrukte groeps gedrag het die bevinding van hierdie studie gerigsteun. Die bevindinge beveel aan dat kulturele waarde uitklaring gedrag sal verander, en spanbou aktiwiteite groeps kohesie sal bewerkstellig. Die opstel van beleide wat ontwrigte gedrag identifiseer om sodoende 'n bewustheid te kweek wat vrees verminder en selfwaardigheid herstel. Bemagtiging, deur onderrig, refleksie in aksie en aktiewe kommunikasie was as sleutel elemente aangewys om weerlose PO verpleegkunidiges werksaam in die multikulturele omgewing, te bevry. Die aanhoudende invloed van die mediese model kan oorkom word deur sterk leierskap. Voorts mag kulturele sensitiewe leierskap essentiel wees om n ondersteunende, produserende en groeiende kultueer te bewerkstellig. Verdere navorsing word aanbeveel.