Chapter 3: A Theoretical Perspective Flashcards
CRITICAL POINTS FOR SOCIALIZATION INTO ROLE
The point of immersion into the student role
Anticipatory socialization to the profession
Transition to the RN role or to the APRN role
THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ROLE
Structural-functionalist theory
Symbolic-interactionist theory
THE STRUCTURAL-FUNCTIONALIST
Roles more or less are fixed by the culture
Formation of the role is deductive
Opportunities to alter patterns of social interaction are limited
Situations are always resolved to fill a social need
Individuals subordinate their wills to social order
Social forces validate role and its functions
The society provides consensual validation
Government often codifies norms
EXAMPLE: DIVISION OF LABOR
The complex society demands differentiation of function
Specialization of functions
Continual readjustment and restructuring
Technologists, technicians, associates, and assistants are created to share in a domain of the work
Comply or become irrelevant
THE SYMBOLIC-INTERACTIONIST
A more individualistic perspective
Formation of role identity is inductive
Cues are interpreted and selectively chosen as relevant to the individual
Symbols are essential to the process
Symbols must be social and hold common meaning
Minimum constraint by the social structure
Role is a creative adaptation to the social environment
Role results from the reciprocal interaction of individuals
ROLE FORMATION
ideally a product of both theories
role development
reference groups
the process of socialization
reference groups
Normative groups
Comparison groups
Audience groups
SOCIALIZATION
Learning the values, attitudes, knowledge, and skills that enable the behavior prescribed for a specific social position or role
ENHANCED ROLE EXECUTION: HARMONY IN ROLE DEFINITIONS
Public definition
Professional definition
Legal definition
Institutional definition
EACH INVOLVE DIFFERENT REFERENCE GROUPS, VALUES, ATTITUDES, AND BEHAVIORS
THE PROCESS OF SOCIALIZATION
Continual and cumulative
Evolves through role-taking and role-making
ROLE-TAKING
Grounded in empathic communication
Unidirectional
Accurate “read” enables actor to modify behavior to achieve desired response
CUES OF INFLEXIBILITY
Highly precise and detailed job descriptions
Management by memorandum
Guarded interdisciplinary boundaries that hamper smooth operation
A hierarchy that is an obstacle to work
Cumbersome and inconsistent policies, procedures, and documentation
Absence of staff nurse autonomy
Organizational relationships designed for supervision, as opposed to reporting
Absence of inventiveness and creativity
Verbalized discontent from staff but no effort to change
High turnover rate among employees
No support for attitudes, values, and behaviors that are without precedent
CHANGE DURING ROLE-TAKING
Accommodation (first-order change), change in behaviors but not the core values or attitudes
Assimilation (second-order change), permanent attitude shifts that cause new behaviors
ROLE-MAKING
Bidirectional and interactive
Both actors present behaviors that are interpreted reciprocally to create and modify their roles
METHODS TO HONE THE SKILL OF READING ROLE PARTNERS
Broad social experience
Rehearsal of the role anticipated
Recentness of role experiences
Attentiveness to role behaviors
Good memory skills
MOVEMENT FROM ROLE OR IN ROLE
Break from previous roles
Minimize previous advantage
Break previous peer relationships
Previous peer relationships become friendships
Establish a new peer group
Clarify new responsibilities that accompany changed status
Consider the values, attitudes, knowledge, and skills that will contribute to success
Movement to the new role prescription (accommodation)
Provide role rehearsal opportunities
Consider a mentor
Identify support systems among role partners
Assimilate role behaviors
Be aware of change in self-concept
Recognize the rites of passage as more than symbolic
Create opportunities for success
Treat failure as a learning experience
ROLE (SKILL) ACQUISITION
Novice
Advanced beginner
Competent
Proficient
Expert
STRESS AND STRAIN DEFINED
Role stress is primarily located in the social structure, external to the individual. It may or may not generate role strain.
Role strain is the feeling of frustration and anxiety internal to the individual.
ETIOLOGY OF STRESS AND STRAIN
Most commonly due to:
Incomplete anticipatory socialization
A rapidly restructuring health-care system
Required continual minor or major role modifications for the APRN
CLASSIFYING STRESS AND STRAIN
Role ambiguity
Role conflict
Role incongruity
Role overload
Role underload
Role overqualification
Role underqualification (role incompetence)
Role transition
Role supplementation (anticipatory socialization )
REALITY SHOCK
A phenomenon experienced by new graduates (RN or APRN) establishing their roles in the midst of bureaucratic-professional conflict
PROCESS OF RESOCIALIZATION: STUDENT TO GRADUATE, RN TO APN
Skills and routine mastery
Social integration
Moral outrage
Conflict resolution
MANAGING ROLE STRAIN
Learn to use distance therapeutically
Decide who owns a problem
Examine the quality of the peer support you give and get
Invest in upgrading yourself
Consciously alternate routine tasks and those requiring physical exertion with complex and stressful activities
Learn to trust your instincts
Sometimes think in terms of what could be the worst consequence, then anything less is a bonus
Identify one person willing to serve as your objective sounding board
Make contact with your feelings about situations
Create options for yourself
