Empowering discourse in patient education.
OBJECTIVE
A systematic literature review, using a metasummary technique for qualitative studies (n=15) was conducted to describe the nature of empowering discourses between patient and nurse.


METHODS
Computerised searches from 1995 to October 2005 were conducted on the Ovid Medline database using the keywords empower(*), power(*), resource(*), participat(*), facilitat(*), negotiat(*), communicat(*), interact(*), dialog(*), discours(*), discuss(*), encount(*), conversat(*) and 'nurse-patient relations'. All statements concerning empowering discourse were integrated into 29 abstracted findings. Frequency and intensity effect sizes were then calculated.


RESULTS
Empowering discourses vary from study to study. Analysed as a whole, an empowering discourse has specific characteristics and structure. Both patients and nurses have essential roles within this type of discourse and their relationship is characterized by an appreciation of each other's expertise within these roles.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this review show empowerment during discourse between patient and nurse has a complex and multifaceted but analysable nature. More research is needed to find systematic methods of empowering discourse.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study increase nurses' understanding of empowering methods in patient education identifying ways of facilitating patient empowerment.
Virtanen
Heli
H
University of Turku, Department of Nursing Science, FIN-20014, Finland. hetuvi@utu.fi
Leino-Kilpi
Helena
H
Salanterä
Sanna
S
D000043:Abstracting and Indexing; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003142:Communication; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006379:Helping Behavior; D006801:Humans; D017008:Negotiating / Q000523:psychology; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D011209:Power, Psychological; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012107:Research Design; D014705:Verbal Behavior