Fiona M. D’Costa-Box, RN, BA (Hons), BScN, MScN,
Nursing Professor,
School of Health, Lambton College
The concept of empowerment has been described in a great deal of literature and in various disciplines. This topic has been of particular interest in nursing education and has become increasingly relevant to the author’s praxis as a nursing teacher. The purpose of this paper was to provide a greater understanding of how the concept of empowerment presents itself experientially in the praxis of the nurse teacher. This inquiry was carried out by exploring the author’s own experiences alongside literature by discussing how critical social theory has influenced her view of empowerment. The author also provides a discussion on how her chosen theory; the theory of human becoming guides her praxis in relation to the teaching learning process and explores its fit with her understanding of empowerment. It is in this manner that the author uncovers how her experiences have shaped her teaching praxis and provides her with a deeper understanding of empowerment. By sharing her experiences and through her own inquiry into the teaching learning process, the author wishes to invite the reader to reflect upon his/her own experiences/praxis and provide a process for others nurse teachers to undertake their own inquiry.