Effecting personal effectiveness: assertiveness training for nurses

This paper describes a client-centred approach to assertiveness training with nurses. The approach recognizes and utilizes the skills and resources within a group, through a process of enabling rather than teaching. The group's own knowledge and experiences are shown to be at least as valid as other academic and research texts which are referred to. In personal development terms they are more valid. Technique-based courses are thought to have less impact than this approach, clearly rooted in self-awareness and development. After looking at the history of assertiveness training, and ways of defining it, the paper goes on to describe the process and content of a programme which is group led. Space is also given to considering why it may be particularly difficult for nurses to act assertively, due to tradition and stereotypes.