SOCIOLOGY IN NURSING

BY JONES H.M –MBA/DMS
1
INTRODUCTION TO
SOCIOLOGY
UNIT 1
INTRODUCTION TO
SOCIOLOGY
This unit basically covers
definition of terms and
concepts. It also covers health

2
beliefs and practices and their
influence on health.
INTRODUCTION TO
SOCIOLOGY
The unit also looks at the
relationship of the nurse and
patient and also with other
members of the health care
team.

3
GENERAL OBJECTIVE
At the end of the unit, the
students should be able to
demonstrate an
understanding of sociology,
basic sociological concepts
that have an influence on
health and illness.

4
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
At the end of the unit, the students
should be able to:
1. Define sociology and sociological
concepts.
2. Explain the relevance of sociology to
nursing.

5
3. Identify traditional, cultural
beliefs and practices which can
influence health and illness.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES cnt..
4. Explain the relationship of a nurse
with the patient, family, and other
health care team members.

6
1.1 DEFINITION OF TERMS
1.1.1 SOCIOLOGY
The word sociology is derived
from socius; a latin word
meaning companion/associate
and logus meaning word.
There are 3 ways of defining
sociology;

7
- Historical perspective
- Empirical perspective
-Analytical perspective
1. HISTORICALPERSPECTIVE
In the historical perspective we
consider what the founding fathers of
sociology said about sociology.
These are;

8
i. Auguste Comte [the
founding father]
ii. Max Weber iii. Karl Max iv.
Herbert Spencer v. Emile
Durkheim
HISTORICALPERSPECTIVECONT’
Auguste Comte defined
sociology as the study of
society.

9
In this study, two areas
are considered i.e. - Social
statics
- Social dynamics
SOCIAL STATICS
Here it is said that society is
made of social institutions or
social systems e.g. Political,

1
0
legal, religious, economical
etc.
One system interferes with the
other systems and are
interdependent.
Figure 1: Showing Society and Social System

1
1
Therefore, Sociology here is said to be the study of social systems
and how they interact with each other, (Auguste Comte, 1833).
Society
Society
Social Systems
Social systems

1
2
SOCIAL STATICSCONT’
Therefore, sociology here is
said to be the study of
institutions and how they
interact with each other.
Auguste Comte (1833)

1
3
SOCIAL DYNAMICS
It is said that society is always
changing from primitive to
modern or from simple to
complex.
Therefore sociology is said to
be the study of institutions and
how they are changing.
(Auguste comte, 1833)

1
4
2. EMPIRICAL PERSPECTIVE
In the empirical perspective we
consider what the
contemporary sociologists say
sociology is.
The theories of empirical
perspective are as follows;

1
5
SOCIAL STRATIFICATION THEORY
• Social stratification is a
central concern in the field
of sociology.
• The theory of social
stratification is concerned
with the idea that various
institutions create inequality
among the members and
classes of society

1
6
SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
THEORY CONT’
Social stratification refers to the
hierarchical arrangement of
social classes within a given
society and this stratification
produces inequality

1
7
SOCIAL EXCHANGE THEORY
This is a branch of
sociology which sees most
social interaction as
exchange from which both
or all parties benefit.
STRUCTURAL FUNCTIONALIST THEORY
Structural functionalism is a
consensus theory; this is a
theory that sees society as

1
8
built upon order interrelation
and balance among parts as a
means of maintaining smooth
functioning of the whole.
CONT”
Structural functionalism views
shared norms and values as

1
9
the basis of society, it focuses
on social order based on tacit
[understood] agreement
between groups and
organizations

2
0
STRUCTURAL FUNCTIONALIST
THEORY CONT’
Structural functionalism views
social change as occurring in
a slow and orderly fashion.
Functionalists acknowledge
that change is sometimes
necessary to correct social

2
1
dysfunction [the opposite of
STRUCTURAL
FUNCTIONALIST THEORY
CONT’
functions] but that it must
occur slowly so that people
and institutions can adapt
without rapid disorder.

2
2
CONFLICT THEORY
Conflict theory is a Marxist
based social theory which
argues that individuals and
groups (social classes) within
society have differing
amounts of material and non
material resources (the
wealthy versus the poor) and
that more powerful groups

2
3
CONFLICT THEORY CONT’
use their power in order to
exploit groups with less power

2
4
3. ANALYTICAL PERSPECTIVE
In the analytical perspective, we look
at what reasoning tells us i.e.
i. Sociology is a scientific study of
society which tries to shed light on
every aspect of human behaviour in
society.
3. ANALYTICAL PERSPECTIVE CONT’
ii.It looks at values, beliefs and methods
or ways of doing things in society.

2
5
iii. It explains
relationships/interactions which take
place in society i.e. Among human
beings or institutions.
iv. It is the only discipline that deals
with every aspect of our life or
human behaviour.
DEFINITION OF CONCEPTS
Tradition: A belief, principle
or way of acting which people

2
6
in a particular society or group
have continued to follow for a
long time or all of these in a
particular society or group. .
DEFINITION OF TERMS
CONT’
Myth: An ancient story or set
of stories, especially
explaining in a literally way of
the early history of a group of

2
7
people or about the natural
events or facts.
- This belief is usually false or
a misconception
DEFINITION OF TERMS
CONT’
• Socialization is used by
sociologists, social
psychologists and

2
8
educationalists to refer to the
process of learning one’s
culture and how to live within
it.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
CONT’
• For the individual it provides
the skills and habits
necessary for acting and

2
9
participating within their
society.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
CONT’
• Culture (from the Latin cultura
stemming from colere,
meaning "to cultivate") is a
term that has different
meanings.

3
0
DEFINITION OF TERMS
CONT’
Culture: is defined as the set of
shared attitudes, values, goals,
and practices that characterizes
an institution, organization or
group.
DEFINITION OF TERMS

3
1
CONT’
• A subculture is a group of
people with a culture (whether
distinct or hidden) which
differentiates them from the
larger culture to which they
belong.
DEFINITION OF TERMS

3
2
CONT’
• If a particular subculture is
characterized by a systematic
opposition to the dominant
culture, it is described as a
counterculture.
CNT’
Cultural practice generally
refers to the manifestation of a

3
3
culture or sub-culture,
especially in regard to the
traditional and customary
DEFINITION OF TERMS
CONT’
• Norms are the behavioral
expectations and cues within
a society or group.
• This sociological term has
been defined as "the rules that

3
4
a group uses for appropriate
and inappropriate values,
beliefs, attitudes and
behaviors."
DEFINITION OF TERMS
CONT’
 Failure to follow the rules can
result in severe punishments,
including exclusion from the
group.

3
5
 Social norms are the accepted
behaviors within a society.
The term has also been
defined as "the rules that a
group uses for appropriate
and inappropriate values,
CNT’
beliefs, attitudes and
behaviors”.

3
6
These rules may be explicit or
implicit. They have also been
described as the "customary
rules of behavior that coordinate
our interactions with others."
DEFINITION OF TERMS
CONT’
• They have also been

3
7
rules of behavior that
coordinate our interactions
with others.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
CONT’
• Failure to follow the rules can
result in severe punishments,
including exclusion from the
group.

3
8
• They have also been
rules of behavior that
coordinate our interactions
with others.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
CONT’
• The social norms indicate the
established and approved

3
9
ways of doing things, of dress,
of speech and of appearance.
• These vary and evolve not
only through time but also
vary from one age group to
another and between social
classes and social groups.
DEFINITION OF TERMS

4
0
CONT’
What is termed to be
acceptable dress, speech or
behavior in one social group
may not be accepted in
another
DEFINITION OF TERMS
CONT’
Beliefs : are the assumptions
we make about ourselves,

4
1
about others in the world and
about how we expect things to
be.
Beliefs are about how we think
things really are, what we
think is really true and what
we therefore expect as likely
consequences that will follow
from our behavior.

4
2
DEFINITION OF TERMS
CONT’
Values: A value is a belief, a
mission, or a philosophy that
is meaningful.
Customs
In Sociology, a custom is a
group or pattern of habitual

4
3
activity usually transmitted
from one generation to
another.
Practices
Habit; custom: e.g. it is not the
practice here for men to have
long hair

4
4
Social system
Is a society considered as a
system organized by a
characteristic pattern of
relationships or a social system
is a set of people bound in a
society.
DEFINITION OF TERMS

4
5
CONT’
• practices of a particular ethnic
or other cultural group.
• In the broadest sense, this
term can apply to any person
manifesting any aspect of any
culture at any time.
DEFINITION OF TERMS

4
6
CONT’
Association: A group of
people organized for a
particular purpose e.g church,
trade union
Community: a territory unit of
organization in which people
share a sense of belonging
and identity

4
7
IMPORTANCE OF SOCIOLOGY IN NURSING
Nurses are members of the
interdisciplinary committee
who spend most of their time
with patients, hence the need
for a nurse to learn how to
interact with patients.
Nurses belong to a group of
social beings who should be

4
8
Importance of sociology in nursing cont’
able to understand
themselves first in order to
understand the clients who
will come into their care.
importance ofsociology in nursing cont’
In sociology, nurses will be
accorded the chance to learn
about health beliefs, taboos,

4
9
traditions and practices of
their clients.
The culture of their clients will
have a bearing on the health
problems which will affect
them and also the care that
will be given to them.

5
0
importance of sociology in nursing
cont’
Therefore, sociology becomes
very important to the nurse as
it will enhance the care that
will be offered to the clients.
Sociology gives us an
awareness of cultural
differences that allows us to

5
1
see the social world from
many perspectives.
Quite often, if we properly
importance ofsociology in nursing cont’
understand how others live, we
also acquire a better
understanding of what their
problems are.

5
2
Sociology can provide
selfenlightenment[increased
selfunderstanding.
The more we know about why we act
as we do and about the overall
workings of our society, the more
likely we are going to influence our
futures.

5
3
Sociology confronts problems
which are often subjects of major
controversy in society, such as the
relationship between social class and
illness, the changing role of religion,
the rising divorce rate and the
changing nature of work.

5
4
Sociological inquiry also
enables a nurse to handle the
patient, family as well as
significant others.

Importance of sociology in 55
nursingcont’
Sociology can be a value to
nurses to enable them to
question the values and
beliefs of their professional
and the organizational context
in which they work.
nursingcont’
It is therefore necessary for a
nurse to have

knowledge of sociology so
that they can learn and
understand human nature,
society and social institutions.
nursingcont’
They can make successful
nurses if they know their
surroundings and know how
to deal with people

individually and in groups.
Nurses who have knowledge
about rituals and customs of
different people can handle
patients who are superstitious
and believe in witch doctors
better.

58
Since nurses generally work
among illiterate society, they
can educate the community
by correcting wrong beliefs,
practices etc. among people.
Trained nurses can help
patients who are irritated
during illness psychologically

59
Importance of sociology in
nursing cont’
or attending to their social
needs.

60
Health beliefs and practices and
their influence on health
Pregnancy is the carrying of
one or more off springs known
as fetus in the womb of the
woman. During pregnancy, if
the woman eats too much, it is
believed that, the baby will be
too large and that labour would
be harder. This affects both the
baby and the mother by

61
restricting amounts of food to
be shared by them
In pregnancy
 This may result in malnutrition
and an underweight new born. It
is also some peoples belief that
if a pregnant women eats eggs,
the child will be born with a bald
head.

62
 In some societies, the pregnant
woman is not even allowed to
cook.

b) During childbirth 63
 It is believed that giving birth
at home is much easier and
cheaper which is not healthy
compared to the hospital
which has all equipment for
the process.
 It is also believed that if the
woman had been having
extramarital affairs whilst

 pregnant, she would die upon
seeing the child. So she is
washed with the herbs just
before she sees the baby.
Others believe that as a
means to induce labour, the
woman should take certain
herbs.

cont’
Inchila (where a man who
has a pregnant wife sleeps
with another woman and the
wife fails to deliver
Thus it can be noted that
these and other more beliefs

affect individuals either
positively or negatively.

67
Duringlactation(breastfeeding)
In the African set up, some
believe that breastfeeding in the
public predispose the baby to
icibele (swollen breast of a
breastfeeding woman) caused
by another child in the public
wearing charm, this deprives the
child of nutrients at appropriate
time.

68
d) Duringweaning
More especially in the African
society, the baby used to be
sent away to the
grandparents or other
relatives during this period.
This sudden isolation from the
parents may depress the child

69
even to an extent of losing
appetite.
Maintenance of health and
health care delivery.
Many people fall sick
because of poor maintenance
of the very health they enjoy.
For example;

70
very few busy working people
ensure that they have
balanced diet
very few individuals
have good drinking
habits
Maintenanceof healthand healthcare deliverycont’
Others despite their
knowledge of the

71
consequences, still engage in
smoking.
few people take fluids as
required by the body.
All these factors and a whole
lot more predispose them to
different diseases.
Maintenance of health and
health care delivery cont’

72
Health care delivery also
determines the overall health
of the served people. Poor
health care delivery, elicited
by poor wages, old and bad
equipment (if at all available)
contribute intensely to annual

73
Maintenanceof healthandhealthcare deliverycont’
death rate by initially promoting
nosocomial infections[hospital
borne infections] and recurrent
infections.
Hospital/health centre sub
culture vs. community culture

74
and hospital community
relationship
A subculture is the culture of a
smaller social grouping within
a society which is not in
conflict with the general
culture.
Hospital/health centre sub
culture vs. community culture

75
and hospital community
relationship
Therefore, the health Centre
has a responsibility to institute
policies in line with the beliefs
of the people. However the
community beliefs may not
always be health related e.g.
circumcision, using the same
instrument.

76
Hospital/health Centre sub culture
vs. community culture and hospital
community relationship
Hence medical personnel
should not only be good
policy makers but also good
teachers. The nurse in
particular should help build

77
confidence of the community
in the health providers.
Nurse’s relationship with the
patient, family and other health
care team members
 This section will walk you
through important relationship
issues between a nurse and
the patient including the
relatives of the patient.

78
 You will also find information
that emphasis the importance
of good team building among
healthcare providers.

Nurse relationship with the 79
patient & family.
 The nurse-patient relationship
sets the tone of the care
experience and has a
powerful impact on patient
satisfaction. This is because
nurses spend most of their
time with the patient more
than any other

patient& family cont’
member of the health care
team.
Patients and families count on
the nurses to be kept
informed, to listen to them, to
ease their anxiety, to protect
and watch over them and to
connect them to their
physicians and other

care givers during their health
care experience.
The attitude of the nurses
towards their work also affects
patients and family judgments
of all the things they do not
see behind the scenes.
Without a positive
nursepatient

relationship, there cannot be
patient and family satisfaction
and there cannot
be an environment that
supports anxiety reduction
and healing.

83
Nurse relationship with other
health care team members.
The patients see nurses’
interaction with other members
of the health care team and
they are able to draw
conclusions about the hospital
based on their observations.

84
As nurses we need to
examine how the safety,
Nurserelationshipwith other healthcare team members cnt’
quality and cost effectiveness
of health care can be
improved through the active
involvement of patients and
families

85
Nurse relationship with other
health care team members cnt’
The nurse should then
communicate patient values,
preferences and expressed
needs to other members of
the health care team.

86
CONCLUSION
we have looked at the
introduction to sociology
where we first defined
sociology according to the
three ways which are:
Historical perspective,
Empirical perspective and
Analytical perspective.

87
CONCLUSION cont’
We then proceeded to define
sociological concepts,
maintenance of health and
beliefs. In addition, we looked
at the importance of
sociology in nursing.
REFERENCES.

88
 Bassis M.S et.al, (1991) Sociology; An introduction,McGrawHill,
New York
 Bertrand A.L (1973), Basic Biology, Appleton-century crafts,
New York
 Biesanz M.H et.al,(1973), Introduction to Sociology,
Prenticehall, New Jers
 Giddens A. (2009), Sociology. Kay Kay printers, New Delhi
 Maya G, (2007). Sociology for Nurses, A.I.T.B.S publishers,
India
 MoH. (2009). Integrated Technical Guidelines for Frontline
Health Workers. (3rd
ed). Ndeke House. Lusaka
 Van Staden S.J, (1998). Nursing Sociology.National book
printers, WesternCape.

SOCIOLOGY IN NURSING

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Similar to SOCIOLOGY IN NURSING

Similar to SOCIOLOGY IN NURSING (20)

More from jones H.M Munang'andu(MBA)

More from jones H.M Munang'andu(MBA) (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

SOCIOLOGY IN NURSING