The women of Chile used arpilleras (burlap tapestry) to communicate the plight of the Chilean people during the Pinochet regime 1973-89, a time of societal silence. The images within the arpilleras contained symbolism that depicted the relationship between events occuring in Chile as compared to the previous way of life within the country. Powerful messages were conveyed in the visual symbols which became known as "newspaper on cloth". Arpilleras functioned as art with a critical socio-political message. Nurses studying at the Masters leves were asked to examine, interpret and learn about the hierarchal, political and social contest of the Canadian health care system that led to the creation of arpilleras. For Chilean women, arpilleras were used to express what was occuring in the socio-political context of an opressed society. For nurses, the arpilleras were used as a powerful vehicle to visually communicate and educate insights regarding what is happening in health care as a socio-political system. Nurses combined analytical and innovative thinking with problem-solving skills to interpret and communicate the context within which they practiced. The arpilleras communicated a powerful message about the socio-political influence of the health care system on the delivery of nursing care. As such, arpilleras funtioned as transformative tools for change. This presentation will show the beautiful tapestries created by the nurses and the diverse points of view as a means of recognizing personal biases, attitudes, sensitivities and varying interpretations of the clinical setting as a way of discovering new possibilities in dealthing with practicing nurses' experiences.
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Sigma Theta Tau International