Balancing Machine Work, Comfort Work, and Sentimental Work: A field study of patient care in the ambulance

Maria Ie Pedersen, Magnus Hansen, Morten Hertzum

    Publikation: Bidrag til bog/antologi/rapportKonferencebidrag i proceedingsForskningpeer review

    Abstract

    To improve prehospital care ambulances carry increasingly sophisticated equipment aimed at initiating patient care already at the scene of injury. The competent use of this equipment is central to prehospital care but it also competes for increasing amounts of the ambulance crew’s time and attention. We investigate ambulance care in three of Denmark’s five healthcare regions, which staff ambulances with emergency medical technicians, paramedics, and physicians. Using the concept of illness trajectory we analyse how the ambulance crews balance machine work, which involves continuously monitoring the equipment, comfort work, which is actions taken to relieve the pain or discomfort of the patient, and sentimental work, which is care for the patient’s physical and mental well-being, often verbal in nature. The analysis shows that comfort and sentimental work often takes priority over machine work, but also that this has negative consequences. Equipment for use in ambulances should aim at supporting the ambulance crews in competently and dynamically balancing the different types of work and should, consequently, avoid binding the crew’s attention for unbroken periods of time.
    OriginalsprogEngelsk
    TitelSHI2011 Proceedings : 9th Scandinavian Conference on Health Informatics
    RedaktørerR. W. Fensli, J. G. Dale
    Antal sider5
    UdgivelsesstedOslo, NO
    ForlagTAPIR Akademisk Forlag
    Publikationsdato2011
    Sider36-40
    ISBN (Trykt)9788251928205
    StatusUdgivet - 2011
    Begivenhed9.de Scandinavian Conference on Health Informatics: Samhandling og omstillinger i helsesektoren - Oslo, Norge
    Varighed: 30 aug. 201130 aug. 2011
    Konferencens nummer: 9

    Konference

    Konference9.de Scandinavian Conference on Health Informatics
    Nummer9
    Land/OmrådeNorge
    ByOslo
    Periode30/08/201130/08/2011

    Emneord

    • Prehospital care
    • medical response
    • illness trajectory
    • paramedic work

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