Emancipatory knowing: empowering nursing students toward reflection and action

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Social Justice in Healthcare
• Emancipatory Knowing

Background:

• 21st-century healthcare systems demand nurses act as advocates for social justice and human rights.
• Nurses are strategically positioned to serve as effective patient advocates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the historical and theoretical underpinnings of emancipatory knowing in nursing.
• To propose methods for nursing faculty to empower students in practicing emancipatory knowing.
• To advocate for curricula promoting social justice and caring praxis.

Main Methods:

• Review of historical and theoretical perspectives on emancipatory knowing.
• Proposal of pedagogical strategies for nursing faculty.
• Emphasis on mentoring students for advocacy, particularly for marginalized groups.

Main Results:

• Emancipatory knowing provides a framework for nurses to advocate for patient rights and social justice.
• Faculty can integrate emancipatory knowing through curriculum and mentorship.
• Students educated in this praxis are likely to continue it post-graduation.

Conclusions:

• Nursing faculty should adopt curricula supporting emancipatory and caring praxis.
• Mentoring students in social justice advocacy is crucial for vulnerable populations.
• Integrating emancipatory knowing into nursing education prepares graduates for advocacy roles.