HSC210 | Hierarchy and Power in Healthcare Australia

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Write an essay addressing the following topic:

Hierarchy and power are intrinsic to the current health care system in Australia. Discuss this statement by drawing on sociological theories and concepts. Discuss how this may impact on you as a health practitioner.

Answer:

Introduction

The action to concentrate power at the top of the power hierarchy brings about the debate about the aspect of conflict theory. Karl Marx observed that the best way to understand sociological behavior was when there existed tensions in the society which were brought about by competition for the available resources (Morrow, Gustavson & Jones, 2016). This aspect comes out clear in the discussion when observing the role of doctors and nurses in the Australian healthcare system. it is the doctors who hold much of the power in the sector. They are responsible for making the majority of the major decisions which affect the entire sector. The people with the power also ensures that they stay in control. This includes controlling the amount of influence which the people on the lower ranks have.

Medical dominance within the Australian healthcare sector leads to differing professional satisfaction between higher social classes and the lower social classes. The autonomy enjoyed by the doctors in their job raises concerns about the role of the other healthcare professionals. There has been a specific focus on the perceptions of the nurses in regard to the perceived medical dominance in the sector. medical dominance has the probability to influence the satisfaction of some of the professionals in respect to their job (Benoit, Zadoroznyj, Hallgrimsdottir, Treloar & Taylor, 2010). Considering that doctors have the majority of the influence in the work, they report higher levels of job satisfaction as compared to the officials occupying the lower professional ranks. Satisfaction with their jobs can be attributed to having the autonomy to make the majority of the decision and greater autonomy over theory careers. Studies have established that nurses report dissatisfaction with their jobs. The factors contributing to the dissatisfaction include poor pay, poor working conditions, and the unfavorable working environment (Leonard, Graham & Bonacum, 2004). They believe that their professional status is not respected as they would like. Nurses also believe that doctors have a more fulfilling profession in terms of pay and autonomy in their jobs.

The structure established in the health care system influences healthcare professionals through the decisions that they make about their careers. As established by Karl Marx, social class determines the opportunities for success in social and professional life. Therefore, professionals in healthcare have the objective of working towards improving their social status. The three sociological approaches explain the manner in which an individual approach their work. The distribution of power within the organization influences the abilities of certain professionals. A health practitioner has to take into consideration the environment in order to determine how they could increase their productivity. This can be achieved if they work in an environment which they appreciate. They make decisions which they believe will result in the advancement of their careers (Turner, 2011). As a health practitioner, it is important to take into consideration the aspect of medical dominance. The medical profession is regarded as the most powerful in the healthcare sector. this is despite that it comprises less than twenty percent of the workforce. With differing incentives to pursue different careers in the sector, an individual has to consider the specific market situation.

Conclusion

Hierarchy and power are aspects which exert a lot of influence in the healthcare sector. From the discussion, the three sociological theories of functionalist, conflict and interactionist can be applied in the concept of the healthcare system. functionalist is concerned with the manner in which the different parts of a system cooperate to bring stability to the entire system. The sick role is addressed in this topic in that patients are not aggressive and will seek the expertise of the healthcare professionals. The conflict approach observed the competition for resources by individuals of the society which presents a great chance to understand their true behaviors. The conflict theory brings the aspect of the medical dominance. The unequal distribution of power within the health sector implies that some professions are more prestigious than others. Interactionist theory is concerned with the role of the different situations how they mold the individuals in the healthcare. Interactionists are therefore not interested in the big picture of the situation but in the finer details. Healthcare professionals should aim at understanding the different situations involved in their workplace. This will play the purpose of improving their satisfaction with their jobs. It would also present them with the opportunity to make constructive decisions about their career.

References

Collins, R., 2011. Wiley’s contribution to symbolic interactionist theory. The American Sociologist, 42(2-3), pp.156-167.

Duckett, S., & Willcox, S. (2015). The Australian health care system (No. Ed. 5). Oxford University Press.

Leonard, M., Graham, S., & Bonacum, D. (2004). The human factor: the critical importance of effective teamwork and communication in providing safe care. BMJ Quality & Safety, 13(suppl 1), i85-i90.

Marmot, M., & Commission on Social Determinants of Health. (2007). Achieving health equity: from root causes to fair outcomes. The Lancet, 370(9593), 1153-1163.

Southon, G., Perkins, R., & Galler, D. (2005). Networks: a key to the future of health services. Australian Health Review, 29(3), 317-326.

Turner, J. H. (2011). Extending the symbolic interactionist theory of interaction processes: A conceptual outline. Symbolic Interaction, 34(3), 330-339.