Conceptions of health promotion held by pre-registration student nurses in four schools of nursing in New Zealand

Abstract

A research project conducted in four nursing schools in New Zealand presents an account of student nurses' conceptions of health promotion. Focus groups of six to ten pre-registration nursing students were conducted in each of the schools of nursing. The findings indicated that the student nurses had difficulty clearly articulating the concept of health education and health promotion. The student nurses focused on individuals. The main strategy they used was the giving of information. This strategy was in keeping with a traditional approach to health promotion. However a number of students did include empowering interpersonal strategies in their health promotion activities. Many of the students demonstrated an awareness of the impact of economic determinants on health but did not have the support or opportunity to address these. None of the students included addressing the political determinants of health in their discussion of the health promoting role of the nurse.