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The nursing gaze: power relations in a study of nurse–resident interactions in learning disability
Author(s) -
LAU V. M. H.,
CALLAGHAN P.,
TWINN S. F.,
GOODFELLOW B.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of psychiatric and mental health nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.69
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1365-2850
pISSN - 1351-0126
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2850.2007.01088.x
Subject(s) - gaze , nursing , psychology , coping (psychology) , medicine , clinical psychology , psychoanalysis
The researchers observed nurse–resident interactions in learning disability units in Hong Kong and interviewed a purposeful sample of nurses who had varying levels of interaction. The median interaction rate between nurses and residents was 27.5% with most interactions relating to physical care. When not interacting with residents, nurses performed administrative tasks. Factors that influenced nurses' interactions revolve around their orientation to a new clinical setting, stresses in the care setting and nurses' coping strategies, contextual constraints, and nurses' prioritization of care. Support for Goffman's self‐mortification principle, Foucault's notion of the clinical gaze and infantilism theory were evident in the practice of the nurses studied.