title: Breaking a social silence: registered nurses share their stories about tertiary nursing education.
abstract: This research presents some of the qualitative findings from a mixed methods study exploring the personal and professional effects of tertiary education for post registration women nurses. The researcher combined both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The specific methods employed were survey questionnaire, 'journalling' and interviews. The results demonstrated that the participants were able to identify and verbalise personal and professional experiences associated with tertiary study, through multiple voices. A distinctive theme of empowerment emerged in their stories. However, by sharing their stories, it was evident that encounters in their lives were enmeshed with dialectical relationships. In conclusion, the associated tension that characterized their personal and professional relationships, indicated that these women could not control their social worlds and that their experiences were integrally linked to their engendered nature.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Health Care Practices, Southern Cross University, Lismore, New South Wales, Australia. nglass@scu.edu.au
authors.forename: N E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Glass
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000592:standards*; D004510:Education, Nursing, Diploma Programs; D004518:Education, Professional, Retraining / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D011209:Power, Psychological; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014933:Women's Rights