Abstract
This article explores power relations between clinicians, patients and families as clinicians engage in patient-centred ethical work. Specifically, we draw on actor-network theory to interrogate the role of non-human elements in distributing power relations in clinical settings, as clinicians attempt to manage the expectations of patients and families. Using the activities of a multidisciplinary team providing deep brain stimulation to children with severe movement disorders as an example, we illustrate how a patient-centred tool is implicated in establishing relations that constitute four modes of power: ‘power over’, ‘power to’, “power storage” and “power/discretion”. We argue that understanding the role of non-human elements in structuring power relations can guide and inform bioethical discussions on the suitability of patient-centred approaches in clinical settings.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1043-1057 |
Number of pages | 15 |
Journal | Sociology of Health and Illness |
Volume | 38 |
Issue number | 7 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Sep 2016 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- actor-network theory
- bioethics
- empirical ethics
- shared decision-making