Analyzing the state of community health nursing: advancing from deficit to strengths-based practice using appreciative inquiry.

In this article we critically analyze the disconnect between much of the contemporary discourse and practice in Canadian community health nursing (CHN) that has contributed to the slow progress of strengths-based, health-promoting nursing practice. Appreciative inquiry philosophy and methods are introduced as a bridge to traverse this disciplinary gap. Two exemplars show how appreciative, strengths-based CHN research and action can move policies and programs toward more socially just practices congruent with CHN values. Exciting potential for nursing knowledge may arise from incorporating more strengths-based approaches into practice, education, policy, and research.