The importance of emancipatory research to contemporary nursing practice

When considering the significant changes that continue to transform nursing practice, a focus on evidenced-based practice has clearly placed nursing research at the forefront of professional practice. The aim of this paper is to highlight the important contribution that emancipatory research methodologies can make to the ongoing development of contemporary nursing practice. A research example demonstrates how an emancipatory framework was applied to a recent doctoral study undertaken with Australian community nurses who provided palliative care. The research focus was on exploring the relationship between the nurse’s emotional well-being and their professional practice. The research was epistemologically located within a critical and feminist framework. Emancipatory research is well situated to address the subjective experiences of nurses and to contribute strongly to the future of nursing practice.