One of the many issues concerning the profession of nursing is the concept of empowerment. This concept can be looked at from two different levels. One is from the level of nurses empowering the clients and two the nurses being empowered by their environm

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Chinny Ejiogu

Feb 06 Group 2

In the essay, I will first name the concept and mention the major issues that I have identified from the research as a group. I will critically look at the link to practice using example from my clinical areas. Finally I reflect on the whole process using the Gibbs (1994) Reflective Cycle which encourages a description of the situation, analysis of feelings, evaluation of experiences and analysis to make sense of the experience and to examine what you would do if the situation rose again.

The presentation was on the concept of empowerment. Through the presentation, I was able to identify that empowerment is a multi-dimensional social process that helps people gain control over their own lives. It is also the process that fosters power in communities and society by acting on issues they define as important. Nevertheless, one can ask is empowerment a universal concept? According to Lukes (1994) empowerment is like obscenity, you have trouble defining it but you know it when you see it. Another issue identified was that of the history/origin of empowerment. According to Oxford English dictionary the English term empowerment originated in the second half of the 17th century. But it gained widespread currency in the 1960 linked to North American Black radicalism. It's modern use originated in the civil rights movement, which sought political empowerment for its followers. (The American Heritage)

We looked at the advantages and disadvantages of empowerment. One of the benefits is that the individual changes in confidence and consciousness therefore leading to increase in skills, abilities e.g. earning an income, access to market and network. Another benefit is the increase in informed choice within a framework of human right and equality (Jack 1995). It was also identified that empowerment enhanced perception of a person own individuality, interest and value by allowing one to express their likes, dislikes and morals. It also increased role in decision making by allowing one to have more power over the decision making and choices as well as participate in activities and planning (Kendel 2004). One of the disadvantages was that it may lead to decrease in individual empowerment particularly if strategies to increase participation fail to take account of one's wishes to be involved and their specific aptitudes, self belief and skills (Jack 1995). Another draw back is that an individual can be disempowered if there is a mismatch between their wish for empowerment and the expectation of others. Some people may not desire the goals set for them the extent of change often depends on resources and the decisions of people in positions of power (Kreisberg 1992).

In view of the benefits and problems, one may ask who has the right to empower. Do people want to be empowered and what are the right ways to empower. According to Luke (1994), a zero-sum conception of power means that power remains in the hand of the powerful unless they give it up. Although this is certainly one way that power is experienced, it neglects the way power is experienced in most interactions.
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Other issues identified were the importance and means of empowerment. Self help groups, patient are initiative, communication strategies and health promotion was mentioned in this section. In the conclusion of the presentation the empowerment of the patient and nurse were not clearly identified and lacked reference.

LINK TO PRACTICE

One of the many issues concerning the profession of nursing is the concept of empowerment. This concept can be looked at from two different levels. One is from the level of nurses empowering the clients and two the nurses being empowered by their environment (Lewis and Urmston ...

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