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Slaps, Punches, Pinches -- But not Violence: Boundary Work in Nursing Homes for the Elderly

Åkerström, Malin LU (2002) In Symbolic Interaction 25(4). p.515-536
Abstract
The article presents an analysis of boundary work within the context of care for the elderly, where violence appears to be widespread though still relatively unacknowledged. By resorting to certain descriptive – often jocular – modes, the staff designate aggressive acts committed by patients as 'non-violent'. This occurs although intent, responsibility, and injury – all common criteria associated with violence – are partly present in the descriptions. It is suggested that this combination of tendencies is an artful way of simultaneously presenting the nurses as competent caregivers rather than controllers -- in spite of reported difficulties.
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
care, homes for elderly, nurses, constructionism, violence, elderly, sociologi, aggression, sociology, decriptive work, boundary work
in
Symbolic Interaction
volume
25
issue
4
pages
515 - 536
publisher
University of California Press
external identifiers
  • wos:000179397000006
  • scopus:0036457594
ISSN
0195-6086
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
6e35c366-ede5-4e66-9f36-d452b2e58666 (old id 618761)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 09:35:14
date last changed
2022-04-23 21:17:25
@article{6e35c366-ede5-4e66-9f36-d452b2e58666,
  abstract     = {{The article presents an analysis of boundary work within the context of care for the elderly, where violence appears to be widespread though still relatively unacknowledged. By resorting to certain descriptive – often jocular – modes, the staff designate aggressive acts committed by patients as 'non-violent'. This occurs although intent, responsibility, and injury – all common criteria associated with violence – are partly present in the descriptions. It is suggested that this combination of tendencies is an artful way of simultaneously presenting the nurses as competent caregivers rather than controllers -- in spite of reported difficulties.}},
  author       = {{Åkerström, Malin}},
  issn         = {{0195-6086}},
  keywords     = {{care; homes for elderly; nurses; constructionism; violence; elderly; sociologi; aggression; sociology; decriptive work; boundary work}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{515--536}},
  publisher    = {{University of California Press}},
  series       = {{Symbolic Interaction}},
  title        = {{Slaps, Punches, Pinches -- But not Violence: Boundary Work in Nursing Homes for the Elderly}},
  volume       = {{25}},
  year         = {{2002}},
}