Concept Analysis Of Empowerment
Empowerment is a concept we all have heard at one time or another it is utilized in numerous professions and specialties. Analysis of this concept will further understanding of empowerment for nursing professionals in areas from research, theory development or practice. Exploring the attributes, consequences, implications and model cases of empowerment can assist the nursing professional in utilizing empowerment to its fullest potential. Within the scope of nursing, empowerment can be seen not purely as how it relates to the client, or the nurse but also how it relates to both the client and the nurse (Rodwell 1996). The Walker-Avant method was used to analyze this concept, as it was the most commonly seen in nursing literature (McEwen & Willis, 2007).
Aim
This paper’s aim is to clarify the concept of empowerment and its implications for the nursing profession, by exploring how it pertains to nursing as well as other disciplines, its essential attributes, antecedents, consequences and empirical referents.
Definition
What is empowerment, and what does it mean? American Heritage dictionary defines empowerment as “To invest with power, especially legal power or official authority” or “To equip or supply with an ability; enable”. Dictionary.com defines it as “to give power or authority to; authorize, especially by legal or official means” or “to enable or permit”. Synonyms for empower include capacitate, entrust, permit and privilege according to Rogets Thesaurus. Understanding empowerment is a difficult task, it is better defined by its absence powerlessness, helplessness, hopelessness, alientation, victimization, subordination, oppression, paternalism, loss of control over one’s life and dependency (Gibson 1991, Lewis 2000). Issues such as coping skills, participation, power and support systems are related to empowerment (Gibson 1991, Lewis & Urmstom 2000) According to Gilbert, empowerment shifts the power from the...
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