Education for change in a post-modern world: redefining revolution

Area of Science:

• Social and Behavioural Sciences in Nursing Education
• Health Policy and Social Determinants of Health

Background:

• Social and behavioural sciences are integral to undergraduate nursing curricula, aiming to educate nurses on workplace social and political influences.
• Awareness of structural barriers and political interests in healthcare can lead to feelings of powerlessness among nurses.
• Critical analysis and political awareness are crucial skills for navigating complex and politically charged healthcare environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore challenges and barriers in developing and teaching social and behavioural sciences within health professions education.
• To propose an alternative conceptual model, grounded in post-structuralism, to address these educational barriers.
• To shift focus from macro-level sociological concepts to micro-level analysis of subject positions, discourse, and local action for facilitating change.

Main Methods:

• Exploration of curriculum development and teaching problems in social and behavioural sciences for health.
• Proposal of a post-structuralist conceptual model.
• Inclusion of a case study to demonstrate the practical application of the proposed model.

Main Results:

• Identifies significant barriers in the traditional development and teaching of social and behavioural sciences in health education.
• Presents a post-structuralist framework that reframes challenges and enhances the potential for change.
• Demonstrates through a case study how this model facilitates the examination of subject positions and local actions.

Conclusions:

• The proposed post-structuralist model offers a viable strategy to overcome barriers in teaching social and behavioural sciences in nursing.
• This approach empowers future and practicing nurses by focusing on discourse, contestation, and local action for effecting change.
• Enhanced critical analysis and political awareness can be fostered, enabling nurses to navigate and influence the complex healthcare landscape.