L. Ritchie, Empowerment and Australian community health nurses' work with aboriginal clients: The sociopolitical context, QUAL HEAL R, 11(2), 2001, pp. 190-205
A portion of a study designed to explore community health nurses' (CHNs) pe
rceptions of the concept of empowerment in their work with Australian Abori
ginal clients is discussed in this article. The 12 study participants were
identified through purposive convenience sampling. During this exploration,
contentions regarding the concept of empowerment emerged, revealing the so
ciopolitical context of CHNs' work with Aboriginal people that shaped their
practice in crucial ways. These issues emerged from the participants' disc
ussions regarding the meaning of empowerment in their work with Aboriginal
clients and the strategies for and challenges to working in empowering ways
within the context of Aboriginal health. Selected components of Habermas's
works provided a useful framework to facilitate an understanding of the fo
rces that underpin community health nursing practice.