Davies, Celia (1981) Professional power and sociological analysis : lessons from a comparative historical study of nursing in Britain and the U.S.A. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

Preview

PDF WRAP_THESIS_Davies_1981.pdf - Submitted Version - Requires a PDF viewer. Download (11Mb)

Request Changes to record.

Abstract

This thesis is a comparative and historical study of nursing in
Britain and the USA from 1860 to 1970. The framework for the
enquiry is drawn from the sociology of occupations and professions
and the material is oriented specifically to the suggestion that
occupational groups 'professionalise' and that professionalisation
is a quest for power. There are four parts. Part one reviews the
literature on professions which was available in the early
1970s, noting the strong consensus of what are called 'sceptical
theorists' around the theme of professional power. It also
examines a more substantive literature on nursing, for its bearing
on this theme, and outlines a research design. The design involves the
specification of areas of power and of indicators of the amount of
power held. It sugges ways in which empirical materials might be,
collected, largely from secondary sources. Part two presents data
on control gained by nurses in both countries in relation to two
areas of entry and training. Reasons are given why the research
design needed to be modified to produce a much more exploratory
and interpretative account than had been envisaged. Differences
in the matrix of institutions surrounding the regulation of nursing
and the ways they function in the two settings are covered, still
in the context of asking questions about the locus of power. The
weaknesses of this style of analysis prompt an approach in part 3
which departs further from the original specifications. Nursing
is seen as engaged less in a direct quest for control and more in a
struggle for meaning. Three chapters deal in turn with concepts
of the nurse and her work, aspects of the formulation and
presentation of nursing knowledge and some of the strategies and
struggles in which nurses have collectively engaged. A deliberate
effort is made to build on and use the crosscultural, comparative
opportunities presented by these data. The concluding section
assesses the relevance of these analyses for the sociology of
occupations and professions, suggesting that although
the sceptical theorists of the early 1970s performed an
important service in highlighting the normative nature of the
concept of profession, they did not suggest altogether satisfactory
ways of coming to terms with it. Two appendices are included,
one providing additional statistical material for chapters 3 and 4,
the other discussing issues of theory and method which arise in an
historical and sociological project such as this.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HM Sociology R Medicine > RT Nursing
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Nursing -- Great Britain -- History -- 19th century, Nursing -- Great Britain -- History -- 20th century, Nursing -- United States -- History -- 19th century, Nursing -- United States -- History -- 20th century, Power (Social sciences)
Official Date:	September 1981
Dates:	Date Event September 1981 Submitted
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Department of Sociology
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Stacey, Margaret
Sponsors:	Social Science Research Council (Great Britain)
Extent:	viii, 299 leaves
Language:	eng

Request changes or add full text files to a record

Repository staff actions (login required)

View Item

Downloads