Prejudice,Paradox,and Possibility: Nursing People from Cultures Other than One’s Own

Abstract

Nurses in New Zealand are being challenged to recognise and address racism in their practice. Yet, the implementation of cultural safety in nursing education has created tension within the profession and between nursing and the wider community. This article provides a brief overview of the findings of a hermeneutic study that explored the experience of nursing people from cultures other than one’s own. The notions prejudice, paradox, and possibility are argued to describe this phenomenon. As nurses negotiate the conflicts essential for ongoing development of their practice, the play of prejudice, paradox, and possibility is evident at intrapersonal and interpersonal levels as well as in relation to professional and other discourses. Nurses are challenged to continue their efforts to understand and move beyond the prejudices that otherwise preclude the exploration of new possibilities.

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