Using Sociology: The Application of Concepts. A Paper for the Pennsylvania Sociological Society.

The interrelatedness of the fields of nursing and sociology is discussed in this paper in an effort to encourage a sympathetic symbiosis between these two fields and between technical and general education. First, an overview is provided of recent trends in sociology, citing the influences of anthropologists and cultural historians on current views of U.S. society. Next, changes in the delivery of health services are examined, with focus on the implications of these changes for health services education. The need for health services personnel to understand and get along with people is underscored, and several key factors in this understanding are explored, including the importance of a patient's motivation, background, behavior, and involvement in the effective delivery of health services; organizational characteristics of hospitals, such as limited resources, a racial and cultural caste system, work pressures, and management policies; and interpersonal relationships with colleagues, patients, and patients' families. The paper then suggests that learning experiences on such sociological topics be developed and integrated into existing technical courses. After suggesting steps for the development of such modules, a series of concepts are discussed around which learning experiences could be developed. These include power and authority, values and the process of socialization, ethnicity, religion, the aged, language, and wellness. Eight learning activities related to these topics are appended. (AYC)