ABSTRACT

This chapter illustrates the importance that a conception of social judgement has for the understanding of the power relations between social actors in the ward. It discusses influential views of power as a backcloth against which social judgement must be seen and some of the strategies which are used by nurses and patients in order to derive consolidate and exercise their power. The chapter draws upon theoretical conceptions of power to help illuminate the place which social judgement may have in an analysis of professional-client power relations. The standard format for care planning and communication between nurses about patients continues to be the office-based ward report. Related to this and possibly more controversial is the practice of allowing patients access to their care plans. Nevertheless, the emotional labour of care, once fully recognised, ought to drive educators and managers of educational resources to identify both expertise and curriculum time to explore such matters.