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How delivery ward staff exercise power over women in communication
Maria Sinivaara1, Tarja Suominen, Pirkko Routasalo
1University Hospital of Helsinki, Jorvi Hospital, Espoo, Finland. maria.sinivaara@sinetti.pp.fi
Background:
Power is a central element in all social interactions. In order to act appropriately in different care situations, it is important to understand the meaning of power.
Aim:
This paper reports a study whose aim was to describe delivery ward staff opinions about the exercise of power over women in communications.
Methods:
Data were collected in 2000 using a questionnaire developed for the study with a convenience sample of 155 midwifery and nursing professionals in delivery wards in four Finnish hospitals.
Results:
The results showed that in respondents' opinions they worked for women's good and aimed at relationships based on a sense of equality and individuality. Negative power was used in situations where women's well-being was threatened. The power used was verbal or non-verbal.
Conclusions:
The exercise of power is not only negative in nature. There are times, such as in life-threatening situations, when it is crucial that the professional takes control and makes decisions immediately, and in that sense exercises power.
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