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A technical solution to a professional problem: The risk management functions of prognosticators in the context of prognostication post-cardiac arrest

Field-Richards, Sarah Elizabeth; Timmons, Stephen

A technical solution to a professional problem: The risk management functions of prognosticators in the context of prognostication post-cardiac arrest Thumbnail


Authors

Sarah Elizabeth Field-Richards

STEPHEN TIMMONS stephen.timmons@nottingham.ac.uk
Professor of Health Services Management



Abstract

Cardiac arrest (CA) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity globally. Two-thirds of deaths among patients admitted to intensive care units following out-of-hospital CA are due to neurological injury, with most as a consequence of withdrawing life-sustaining treatment, following prognostication of unfavorable neurological outcome. Given the ramifications of prognosis for patient outcome, post-cardiac arrest (P-CA) guidelines stress the importance of minimizing the risk of falsely pessimistic predictions. Although prognosticator use is advocated to this end, 100% accurate prognosticators remain elusive, therefore prognostication P-CA remains pervaded by uncertainty and risk. Bioethical discourse notwithstanding, when located within a wider socio-cultural context, prognostication can be seen to present risk and uncertainty challenges of a professional nature. Such challenges do not, however, subvert the medical profession's moral and ethical prognostication obligation. We interpret prognosticator use as an attempt to manage professional risk presented by prognostication P-CA and demonstrate how through performing “risk work,” prognosticators serve professional functions, mediating tension between the professional duty to prognosticate, and risk presented. We draw on sociological analyses of risk and uncertainty, and the professions to explicate these (hitherto less enunciated) professional risk management functions of prognosticators. Accordingly, the use of prognosticators is conceived of as a professional response – a technical/scientific solution to the problem of professional risk, inherent within the P-CA prognostication process.

Citation

Field-Richards, S. E., & Timmons, S. (2022). A technical solution to a professional problem: The risk management functions of prognosticators in the context of prognostication post-cardiac arrest. Frontiers in Sociology, 7, Article 804573. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2022.804573

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jul 4, 2022
Online Publication Date Aug 19, 2022
Publication Date Aug 19, 2022
Deposit Date Aug 22, 2022
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Frontiers in Sociology
Electronic ISSN 2297-7775
Publisher Frontiers Media SA
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 7
Article Number 804573
DOI https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2022.804573
Keywords General Social Sciences
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/10359288
Publisher URL https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsoc.2022.804573/full

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