Ejercicios tomados de los diferentes deportes que se emplean en los juegos

Conway suggests role theory is ‘a collection of concepts and a variety of hypothetical formulations that predict how actors will perform in a given role, or under what circumstances certain behaviours can be expected’ (1988, p.63). This relates to social identity theory as a theoretical framework within my research study in that the ‘performance’ of these roles takes place within a group dynamic, whether that group is learning disability nursing or nursing per se. It is also relevant in that the role of learning disability nurses has been changing and evolving over the past three decades and the study interviews are intended to encourage participants to narrate these changes.

Brookes et al define ‘role’ as a ‘description of the behaviours, characteristics, norms and values of a person or position’ (2007, p.147). In their work they examine change within the community nurse’s role in regard to notions of role ambiguity, role conflict, role overload, role identity and role insufficiency. Of these, role ambiguity is particularly useful in the context of this study, as a number of commentators suggest that this is a key feature of the learning disability nurse’s history. As has previously been established, questions around the status of the learning disability nurse and their role have been debated for a number of years. From the growth of the CNLD in the 1970s (Barr, 2006), policies of social inclusion have enabled the growth of roles for learning disability nurses in areas such as health facilitation (Foster, 2005) and acute liaison (Brown, 2012) to develop and flourish alongside specialist nursing roles in challenging behaviour, mental health, epilepsy, and more. However, whilst a

number of roles grew and flourished those within and outside, the profession did not always understand them. Ross (2001) and Fyson (2002) suggest that a lack of role clarity can also impede policy development. However, we may also need to consider that a lack of policy development may also impede role clarity.

This focus on role theory in relation to symbolic interactionism, as opposed to structural functionalism, will provide a framework from within which to analyse the nurse’s perceptions of these roles, rather than the organisation’s reason for the creation of them. As Sluss and Ashworth state:

Structural functionalism emphasises how roles are created to fulfil institutional needs, whereas symbolic interactionism emphasises the agency of individuals in socially (re) constructing the meaning and enactment of those roles. (2007, p.12)

The theoretical framework of symbolic interactionism in relation to role theory offers an opportunity to examine the interactions between people towards a goal or an outcome, examining the role of learning disability nurses described through their narratives in a wide range of settings. This framework can also be a useful tool for exploring change and reactions to change within roles: ‘as professional groups navigate the processes of change there is often a need to explore, refine and often redefine roles’ (Brookes et al, 2007, p.148). Within this context, identity is not static concept that can be built or constructed, but a notion that is fluid and constantly changing (Baumann, 1996; Yuval-Davis, 2011). As Baumann states, identity offers ‘an escape from uncertainty’, going on to suggest that, in the ever-changing landscape of modern society: ‘the hub of postmodern life strategy is not identity building but the avoidance of fixation’ (1996, p.24). However, according to Nelson and Gordon, this avoidance of fixation comes at a cost. They argue that, in its attempt to gain legitimacy and professional status, nursing is in danger of losing its identity as roles constantly change and boundaries with other professional groups become blurred. Maben and Griffiths also identify this challenge within nursing identity, stating that ‘in the past the brand of nursing was strong. Nursing was seen to have a clear identity and people knew what a nurse was and what a nurse did... Today the brand appears less strong, nursing is more complex, and varied and multiple images prevail’ (2008, p.12).

In relation to this, Secrest, Norwood and Keatley (2003) suggest that, historically, nurses have found it difficult to define nursing and to distinguish it from other health care disciplines. Turkell (2001) also acknowledges the challenge nurses face when attempting to combine the science and art of caring within the economic context of the health care environment. This is relevant to my study, as learning disability nursing has had difficulty in defining a role that has often been seen by those outside of the field to be incongruent with nursing identity and the notions of caring for those who are sick (Mitchell, 2001). Further, the literature around nursing suggests a changing identity - changing within the context of society, social change, and the health policies underpinning nursing care. This changing identity leads to a change in roles. In relation to this, Hurley (2009) suggests that social and health policies are creating multiple roles for mental health nurses, impacting upon identity. In a further study of mental health nurses, Majomi et al suggest that nursing roles are ‘continually being redeveloped and re-evaluated’ (2003), and, whilst early theorists such as Mead (1934) may have suggested that roles may begin with an initial period of ‘socialisation’ or ‘role taking’ followed by a period of ‘statis’, this suggestion is not necessarily reflected in the changing nature of nursing today. Majomi et al describe the concept of ‘punctuated equilibria’; whereby organisational or personal change is brought about change in the stasis of the role. Whilst this study focuses on conflict across home and work roles, and the stress related to this, aspects of the study around role conflict and multiplicity of roles could also resonate for learning disability nursing, as policy change over the past three decades has changed not only the places and spaces in which learning disability nurses work, but also the societal change in attitudes towards the people these nurses care for.