Abstract: For nurses to have control over their practice they need to have input into policy development. Nurses having control over their practice has been linked to nursing empowerment. Therefore the question explored in this research project is: What can nurse leaders do to encourage an empowering environment for nurses working in the mental health area? The literature reviewed for this project includes empowerment, power, the history of nursing in relation to women's role in society, oppression and resistance, and literature on Critical Social Theory as the underlying theoretical and philosophical position which informs the research process. In order to answer the research question a single focus group was used to gather data from a group of registered nurses practising in mental health. Focus groups as a data collection method produce data and insights that would be less accessible without the interaction found in the group. The key themes to emerge from the data analysis were: power is an important component of empowerment and power relationships; and at a systems level, professional, organisational, and political influences impact on feelings of empowerment and/or disempowerment. These key themes are discussed in relation to the literature and the broader social and cultural context of the mental health care environment. The contribution this research makes to nursing includes a list of recommendations for nurse leaders who aim to provide an empowering environment for nurses practising in mental health.

Abstract: Presents case studies from NZ, Australia, Canada, and the United States of America, exploring aspects of government policies, public health actions, and indigenous nursing leadership, for indigenous communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Demonstrates that indigenous self-determination, data sovereignty, and holistic approaches to pandemic responses should inform vaccination strategies and pandemic readiness plans.

Abstract: This thesis examines the forces influencing the development of contemporary advanced nursing practice in New Zealand. It begins with an historical approach to explore the various meanings of advanced nursing practice from the late 1800s through the first years of the 21st century. Seven historical understandings of the meaning of 'advanced' nursing practice emerge. The author's analysis of the broad scope of New Zealand nursing history, including a case study of the development and implementation of the nurse practitioner, draws on theoretical perspectives from sociology, political science, and nursing. She develops a “framework of critical factors for nursing to take into account when considering how to ensure the profession is able to deliver on its great potential to improve the health of New Zealand communities”. Examining the work of a range of nursing leaders, past and present, and drawing on the work of political scientist, John Kingdon, the author describes the work of several nurses as “policy entrepreneurship.”