Language, Ideology, and Nursing Practice

The ways in which nursing practice is shaped by language and ideology are explored, based on an ethnographic study conducted at two general surgical units in one of the main acute care hospitals in Iceland.

Abstract

This article explores the ways in which nursing practice is shaped by language and ideology. It is based on an ethnographic study conducted at two general surgical units in one of the main acute care hospitals in Iceland. The data used were qualitative: transcribed semistructured interviews with registered nurses on two acute care units, field notes from a participant observation on the two units and contextual information from written documents, such as yearly reports from the hospital and newspaper articles. The main findings revealed a stark contrast between the two discourses noticed. The public discourse, observed at team meetings in giving reports and in the written documentation, was characterized by objectivity and distancing from patients’ personal understandings. The style of presentation was distant and mechanical. The private discourse, which emerged in private discussions between staff on the units and in interviews with the researcher, reflected the nurses’ attempts to understand each patient’s situation and outlook on life. This discourse was much more engaged, reflecting the nurses’ energy and interest in being of assistance. By highlighting the difference between private and public discourses, this study provides important insight into the complex ways in which language and power interact to create different conditions for nursing practice. Based on these findings inferences are made as to how nursing practice is shaped by ideology.