My Positionality

#Positionality #Reflexivity

Positionality refers to my perspective and social identity shape my practice and outcomes (Holmes, 2019). I am a white, straight male, born and raised in a small town in southeastern Ontario. Nixon’s (2019) “coin” model was a reminder for me that I experience being on top of the coin by being a white male, even if these privileges may be invisible.

At the same time, being a male nurse in a female-dominated field sometimes places me in outsider roles. These intersecting positions can have an effect how I engage with patients and staff.

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An example of inequities I have seen on a day-to-day basis is the older population and the advancement of technology.  These inequities extend beyond illness to include social and structural barriers. When thinking about a circumstance of “on action” (Alexander et al., 2020)

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I recall recognizing that internationally educated nurses have benefited from culturally matched mentors, a gap I had initially overlooked as we usually put our new hires with the most senior and proven nurses, regardless of culture background.

Reflexivity “underlying action” has also prompted me to question whether our recruitment practices excluded IENs, leading me to advocate for dedicated educational supports.

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I often walk the line between insider and outsider roles (Holmes, 2019), an insider in management, but now an outsider to the lived realities of frontline staff and IENs. Acknowledging this helps me avoid assumptions of neutrality and instead act in solidarity, such as empowering front-line staff to help lead new changes by giving feedback and leading meetings.

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Alexander, S. A., Jones, C. M., Tremblay, M. C., Beaudet, N., Rod, M. H., & Wright, M. T. (2020). Reflexivity in health promotion: A typology for training . Health Promotion Practice, 21(4), 499-509.

Holmes, A. G. D. (2020). Researcher positionality--A consideration of its influence and place in qualitative research--a new researcher guide . Shanlax International Journal of Education, 8(4), 1-10. 

Nixon, S. A. (2019). The coin model of privilege and critical allyship: Implications for health . BMC Public Health, 19(1), 1-13.