Att arbeta utan tydliga ramar : En kvalitativ studie om hälso- och sjukvårdskuratorers arbetssätt

Sammanfattning: The aim of this study was to understand how healthcare counselors think about their professional discretion.The method used in this study was qualitative and carried out by semi structured interviews. We conducted interviews with eight different counselors at the university hospital in Malmö and Lund on seven different occasions. The theories that was used to help analyze our empirical data was Michael Lipsky’s theory about street-level bureaucrats and the amount of discretion in their work. We also used a form of professionalization theory to help understand the complex way a profession can be seen in. The study showed that the counselors worked in different ways and that there is not one way that is more efficient than another. It also showed that the counselors adapted their way of working to their specific group of patients. Therefore, the counselors relationship with the patients was expressed as good by all of them. All of the counselors that we conducted the interviews with had a positive outlook on the new license and the impact it will have in the long run. Some of them thought that the license would not impact the level of professionalization however some of them hoped that in the future the license would give them a higher reputation and to be viewed as more professional, both by their patients and their co-workers.