| Revolutionary changes are in health care today which have changed the roles nurses maintain. A new breed of nurse is needed to match the demands of today's changing world---nurses willing to stand up and be counted for their convictions, and able to empower their clients. This study sought out six new graduates of a BSN program in an attempt to ascertain their feelings of empowerment/disempowerment and behaviors supporting those phenomena. Data indicated that students feel empowered and successful when their instructors humanize and respect them during their nursing education. Powerlessness is experienced when faculty controls processes, are demeaning about students' abilities, and when teachers have little regard for students' lives, goals and past life experiences. This study examined student experiences in a BSN program, and attempted to be a first step in understanding the process of empowerment. |
