This article is based on the findings from a study in which nurses from two different countries and a variety of clinical settings explained their approach to the nursing care of abused women and described their understanding of issues of abuse. These conclusions constitute one aspect of a larger study titled “Nurses' Social Construction of Self: Implications for Work With Abused Women” (Henderson, 1999). Following a description of the nurses' practice, the author discusses some of the important contextual factors that influence nurses' ability to act effectively in the care of abused women. Although the participants in this study were nurses, and therefore much of the information presented derives from their accounts, many of the issues raised might equally have implications for other community practitioners or healthcare professionals encountering abused women in the course of their practice. These implications are discussed.
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