| Summary: | Thesis (M.Ed.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 1985. Education Bibliography: leaves 133-138 The purpose of this study was to examine the role of the Northern nurse in combating wife abuse in the Keewatin region of the Northwest Territories. More specifically, existing administrative policy and current nursing education in this area of wife abuse were reviewed in the light of responses received from nurses and other professionals. The conceptual framework for the study was based on a nursing model of self-care developed by Orem (1980). -- Data were obtained for this descriptive study by means of a questionnaire sent to nurses, social workers, police, clergy, school principals, and Inuit leaders in the Keewatin region. Information was gathered dealing with the incidence, type and severity of abuse, the relationship of alcohol consumption and economic status of the families with wife abuse, the support systems presently available to abused Inuit women, the nature of health care policies pertaining to wife abuse, and nurses' perceptions of their role in preventing this abuse. Through frequency distributions, patterns of the data were examined and displayed. -- The overall findings indicated evidence of both physical and psychological abuse towards Inuit women by husbands including common-law husbands. It was further revealed that abuse was judged by respondents to be more prevalent than the actual cases reported. With respect to the nurse's role, a majority of nurses perceived nurses playing a significant role towards the prevention of wife abuse. However, social workers were viewed as the most significant group currently providing services to abused Inuit women. -- Several recommendations were made to strengthen the administrative policies, practice and training of nurses and of professionals associated with them in dealing with and preventing wife abuse, including clergy and school administrators. Recommendations for further research were also made. -- What emerged from this study was the need for a new social dimension to the role of the nurse in providing health care, including counselling, for abused women.
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