Examining our privileges and oppressions: incorporating an intersectionality paradigm into nursing

Abstract

An intersectionality paradigm is a means by which nurses can attend to issues of oppression and privilege within their practice and profession. Intersectionality is introduced as an essential theory to help debunk the hegemony of the 'white, middle class' perspective that often directs nursing research, practice, and education. The values and benefits of using an intersectionality paradigm in nursing are shown through recent research done with Aboriginal women. These findings contribute to an increased understanding of the importance and necessity of attending to the power relations that dominate nursing care encounters and influence the way nurses provide care. By acknowledging and responding to the presence of privilege and oppression and the associated power dynamics within the therapeutic encounter, nursing can strive further in helping to alleviate social injustices and health disparities that arise from unequal power relations.

Continuing the conversation in nursing on race and racism

“…Many face multiple marginalizations based on race, gender, class, sexual orientation, and gender identity (Hall & Fields, 2012;Hall, Stevens, & Meleis, 1994). An analysis of the complex intersectionality of social identities (Collins, van Unger, & Armbrister, 2008;Van Herk, Smith & Andrew, 2011) is also beyond the scope of this article.…”

Intersectional perspectives on family involvement in nursing home care: rethinking relatives' position as a betweenship

“…Each person usually has multiple social positions, contingent on context. These roles can be beneficial or detrimental to one's goals and the ability to achieve those goals, depending in part of how each role is defined and perceived by others (Shields ; Van Herk, Smith and Andrew ).…”

Cuidado de si e relações de poder: enfermeira cuidando de outras mulheres

“…Escape strategies of nurses aiming at improving the quality of care toward women are highlighted, being based on critical discourse of scientific nature (28) . In this sense, the experience, on the part of nursing, of a transitional period, on the way to another paradigm that questions the various forms of privilege and oppression, is aspired and indicated (23,34) . They live at the borders -balance between what is ancient and still remains and what should be abandoned; confrontation between the biomedical knowledge acquired and the experiences of everyday life; and this confrontation to colonizer knowledge initiates an emancipation process.…”