Rules, routines and records : the work of an Accident and Emergency department

• Main Author: Gibson, Heather M.
• Published: University of Aberdeen 1977
• Subjects: 610.7343
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.456568

This study centres around the work of a regional Accident and Emergency department. It first considers the previous literature on accidents and accident services, noting the problem of finding a uniform definition and the lack of sociological research in this area. It then describes the organisation of the particular accident department under study, and looks in detail at the different rules and routines applied in the everyday situations from reception to discharge. Together these chapters comprise a description of the processing of those who attend the A & E department. The thesis continues with a discussion of the recording procedures which form an intrinsic part of the departmental routines. From a study of these activities it postulates that a reflexive relationship exists between the actual and recorded events and argues that this relationship should be explored when using records for certain kinds of research. Some examples of the indexical nature of such records is given. Finally, the study returns to the definition of accidents and concludes that because such definitions appear to be situational, comparisons between different studies of the subject, particularly those where organisational records are involved, should be approached with caution.