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Managing nurses through disciplinary power: a Foucauldian analysis of workplace violence
Author(s) -
STPIERRE ISABELLE,
HOLMES DAVE
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of nursing management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.925
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1365-2834
pISSN - 0966-0429
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2834.2007.00812.x
Subject(s) - discipline , power (physics) , nursing management , workplace violence , economic shortage , public relations , health care , work (physics) , zero tolerance , nursing , perspective (graphical) , medicine , sociology , engineering ethics , political science , human factors and ergonomics , government (linguistics) , poison control , medical emergency , criminology , engineering , social science , law , computer science , philosophy , artificial intelligence , linguistics , quantum mechanics , mechanical engineering , physics
Aims This paper describes discipline as a specific technique of power which constitutes, in our view, a form of institutional violence. Background The need to create and maintain safe and healthy work environments for healthcare professionals is well documented. Evaluation Foucault’s concept of disciplinary power was used to explore institutional violence from a critical perspective. Key issue Violence is identified as an important factor in the recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals. Given the shortage of such professionals, there is an urgent need to take a fresh look at their working environments and working conditions. Conclusion Power, surveillance and disciplinary techniques are used at all levels of hospital management to control and contain both human resources and costs. Implications for nursing management By associating common workplace practices with institutional violence, employers who have a policy of zero tolerance toward workplace violence will need to re‐examine their current ways of operating.