Development of a Positive Professional Identity: Liberating Oneself from the Oppressor Within

Although oppressed group behavior has been discussed as important for empowering nurses, little has been written about the process of liberation from oppression. One of the major factors that keeps the oppressed from becoming empowered is poor self- and group esteem and identity. This article explores models of positive identity development from other oppressed groups and explores their relevance for nursing. A model is created, based on the other models, which proposes a process for nurses as they begin to understand their oppression and develop more positive images of themselves and other nurses.