The "hard spots" of family nursing: connecting across difference and diversity.
The focus of this discussion is how nurses might more effectively work within the "hard spots" of family nursing to connect across difference. Taking a pragmatic stance toward knowledge, the practical consequences of ideas and theories informing definitions of family and family nursing practice are examined. The authors propose that the provision of competent, ethical, and culturally safe nursing care could be greatly enhanced by a relational view. In particular it is suggested that understanding family as a relational experience, understanding nursing and culture as relational processes and conceptualizing difference as a basis for connection can provide a foundation for more effectively working across differences. Using this relational view the authors outline processes that have the potential to foster more equitable, just, and compassionate family nursing practice.
Doane
Gweneth Hartrick
GH
School of Nursing, University of Victoria, Box 1700, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada V8W 2Y2. gdoane@uvic.ca
Varcoe
Colleen
C
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel / Q000208:ethnology; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology; D001364:Awareness; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003144:Communication Barriers; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D004645:Empathy; D022143:Family Nursing / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016294:Models, Nursing; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009736:Nursing Process; D010687:Philosophy, Nursing; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D012649:Self Concept; D012660:Semantics; D013850:Thinking; D016746:Transcultural Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration*