Negotiating Three Worlds: Academia, Nursing Science, and Tribal Communities

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to use a cross-cultural model to guide the exploration of common issues and the dynamic interrelationships surrounding entrée to tribal communities as experienced by four nursing research teams. Method: Members of four research teams discuss the primary lessons learned about successful strategies and challenges encountered during their projects’ early stages. Results: Understanding the cultural values of relationship and reciprocity is critical to the success of research projects conducted in Native American communities. Discussion: Conducting cross-cultural research involves complex negotiations among members of three entities: academia, nursing science, and tribal communities. The lessons learned in these four research projects may be instructive to investigators who have the opportunity to conduct research with tribal communities.