News / Critical thinking about norms as a key to equality in healthcare

Critical thinking about norms as a key to equality in healthcare

Jana Bortlíková
09.05.2025

The Breaking Fences project team published a scientific article in the Nordic Journal of Nursing Research. The article focuses on the need to introduce a norm-critical and norm-creative approach in the education of future nurses. The authors point out that traditional curricula often overlook issues of equality and marginalisation, thus contributing to the maintenance of inequalities in health care.

The article "A call for norm-consciousness as points of departure in nursing education" introduces the Breaking Fences project, which aims to use the norm-lab tool to develop nursing students' ability to look critically at norms, become aware of their own position in power structures and actively contribute to inclusive and equitable care.

The authors point out that the ability of future health professionals to reflect on biases and stereotypes - while suggesting alternative, more equitable approaches - is essential to ensuring sustainable and equitable access to health care.

For more information about the project and the use of the norm-lab tool, see: www.breakingfences.se

Authors of the article: Susanna H. Arveklev (HV), Ivan Andrés Castillo (HV), Markéta Skalná (SU), Lucia Drotárová (SU), Maria Augusta Veiga - Branco (IPB), Elisabeth Dahlborg (HV), António Meireles (IPB), Kicki Klaeson (HV), Henrik Eriksson (HV).