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Managing patient emotions as skilled work and being ‘one of us’

Author

Listed:
  • Ian Kessler

    (King’s College London, UK)

  • Paul Heron

    (King’s College London, UK)

  • Sue Dopson

    (University of Oxford, UK)

Abstract

While the literature on emotional labour has concentrated on worker feelings, this article assesses the capacity of an occupational role to deal with the feelings of the service user and, in particular, whether this capacity constitutes a skill. It focuses on the healthcare assistant, an unregulated role increasingly important in the delivery of hospital care. The capacity of this role to manage the emotions of patients has been questioned. However, drawing upon case study data, the role is presented as an effective manager of patient emotions, an outcome partly related to the HCAs’ abilities, but more closely to the patients viewing HCAs as ‘one of us’.

Suggested Citation

  • Ian Kessler & Paul Heron & Sue Dopson, 2015. "Managing patient emotions as skilled work and being ‘one of us’," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 29(5), pages 775-791, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:woemps:v:29:y:2015:i:5:p:775-791
    DOI: 10.1177/0950017014559768
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sharon C. Bolton, 2009. "Getting to the heart of the emotional labour process: a reply to Brook," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 23(3), pages 549-560, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Richard Godfrey & Joanna Brewis, 2018. "‘Nowhere else sells bliss like this’: Exploring the emotional labour of soldiers at war," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(6), pages 653-669, November.

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