Abstract: This research project, a descriptive study using narratives, explored the application of cultural safety theory and philosophy to clinical nursing practice. This application was illustrated through the stories of four experienced Pakeha,Tauiwi registered nurses in Aotearoa/New Zealand, who described their realities of applying cultural safety to daily clinical practice. The incentive for this study had been identified in light of the current political climate, pragmatic realities and in keeping with the current state of knowledge.Cultural safety was first identified by Maori nursing students and subsequently described and articulated by Maori nurses, as being a potential solution to improving Maori health statistics in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Many Maori and Pakeha/Tauiwi in this country accept that the Treaty of Waitangi, a covenant signed between Maori and the Crown in 1840, is the incentive for giving cultural safety status and credibility. While the Nursing Council of New Zealand has supported this concept and made it a requirement for all nursing education, there is little literature written concerning its application to practice from a Pakeha/Tauiwi perspective.The perceptions and insights of these nurses were heard when they were invited to describe how they saw cultural safety as part of their daily clinical practice and recount their struggles, realities, practice and experience. The literature review supported the use of narratives as an appropriate method for this study. The philosophy and assumptions of narrative appear to match the oral tradition of nursing and thus it was considered possible to contemplate the fit of narrative to nursing research.The stories of these nurses, gave examples of best nursing practice in which cultural safety was integral to practice, and provided exemplars of possible beginnings and possible endings. The depiction of cultural safety in practice surfaced as the weaving of four themes which were consistent in all the stories – themes of reflection, reverencing, the environment, and hidden blessings and healing. The research evidence suggested that cultural safety was visible in practice in many diverse ways; it emphasised the complexity of the concept; accented its evolving status; and identified a relative consistency in defining cultural safety despite the varied contexts of practice.Although this study was limited by the small sample, the findings indicated that there were potential implications for nursing education, research, nurses and nursing practice as well as for other health care providers working in the current health care system. They suggested that actions from nurse educators, nurse managers, health care managers and clinical nurses themselves, would be needed to ensure that cultural safety continued to be part of nursing practice and contribute to the improvement of all health statistics in this country as well as to encourage an increased development in the focus on Maori health issues.Further nursing research suggested by the findings include studies to appraise cultural safety from a patient's perspective, and consideration given to the evaluation and assessment of nurses and their culturally safe practice. In addition, exploration and research could ascertain the benefits and rewards of culturally safe practice and identify ongoing educational needs as well as examining the views of other members of the multi-discipline team

Abstract: This research investigates the impact of fifteen psychiatric nurses' personal experiences on their therapeutic relationships with clines. A hermeneutic phenomenological methodology informed by Heidegger is employed to gain an understanding of the human experience of these nurses in the context of the therapeutic relationship.The research illuminates the significant impact of these nurses' experiences on their relationships. Some experiences are found to enhance therapeutic readiness while the other personal experiences impede it, some impeding it to a degree that nurses are unable to work therapeutically with certain clients. The stories that describe the personal experiences that lead towards therapeutic readiness care special, as are the accounts of the professionalism and care that these nurses bring to their clients

Abstract: Discourse about women assuming greater control over their childbirth experience has received much attention in contemporary childbirth and womens' studies publications. Research in the domain of childbirth has shown that a sense of control over one's birth experience is related to childbirth satisfaction. More specifically, studies have used Locus of Control measures and have found a significant relationship exists between expectations for control and choice of birth place. Choice of birth place features in some articles as a factor that determines the degree to which control can be exercised. Home, as a place of birth, is considered a setting in which a woman can have optimum control over her experience. Many women are discouraged from taking up this option, based on fears about safety. Reflection on why women continue to pursue a home birth against the wishes of their care giver rekindled and interest in Locus of Control. This study was undertaken to explore the relationship between urban women's choice of birth place setting and their scores on two different measures of Locus of Control (LOC). The aims of the study were: to test whether LOC scores predict choice of birth place for women who chose hospital, home or a birthing centre as their place of birth; to test which of the two LOC scales (Levenson's generalised measure or Wallston et al's more specific scale) is the most useful in predicting the influence of LOC and choice of birth place and to explore the relationship between choice of birth place LOC, demographic and contextual factors surrounding pregnancy. The method used in the study was a descriptive correlational design. One hundred and ninety four pregnant urban women who accessed a range of maternity care providers in the greater Auckland , Wellington , Christchurch and Dunedin cities responded to a “Birth Choice Survey” between April and June 1996. Tests of significance found significant differences for powerful others and chance Locus of Control among the three groups of women who chose hospital, home or a birthing center as a place of birth. Differences were significant at p = 0.05. No significant differences were ffound in the scores for internal Locus of Control for women in the three groups. Limitations in the sample sixe prevented linear discrimination being successful in predicting the influence and choice of LOC variables and choice of birth place for both scales. A classification tree was employed to identify key variables which might affect choice of birth place and indicated that women who were extremely happy with their birth place choice were more likely to be those who chose home birth. Locus of Control measures are interesting, and if used specifically, may be helpful in relation to understanding a women's choice of birth place. However general assessment of the contextual factors appears just as relevant. Implications of this study are the while women may differ in how they perceive their outcomes are determined, an overwhelming majority of women who participated in this study value their ability to make choices about their birth location. Identifying consumer perceptions about control and the contextual factors that influence women's choice of their birth place has the potential to clarify women's preferences for responsibility in their birth experience. Limitations of the study were addressed and included suggestions to improve response rates and thus generalizability of findings. Implications for further research were also considered