Ritual action and its effect on the role of the nurse as advocate

Problems related to the ability of the nurse to act as advocate for patients have caused dilemmas in the profession over recent years. This paper seeks to address the issue from the aspect of ritual action which pervades the day-to-day activities of nurses and could therefore have an effect on nurse-patient relations. By looking at a short study based on data from nurses working with dying patients, part of work in progress on the subject, it is possible to draw some conclusions about the effect that such rituals and routines have on practice. Examination of the work of Douglas leads to speculation about the ways that rituals associated with restricted language can undermine the nurse's ability to advocate successfully. Results from the study are limited given the small sample, but they give some indication of trends and possibilities that more exhaustive research may confirm.