Concessions in audiology
-
Trine Heinemann
Abstract
Previous studies of clinical settings show that patients exhibit an orientation towards an institutional restriction against them proposing treatment solutions for their medical condition. In this paper we demonstrate how that restriction is relaxed in a particular clinical setting, that of audiology. Focusing on video-recorded interactions in a Danish audiology clinic, we show how patients freely offer suggestions for their own treatment, even in cases where a treatment solution has already been provided by the audiologist. We further illustrate how audiologists respond to patients’ treatment proposals with concessions, through which the audiologist manages to accept the patient’s treatment proposal as a possibility, while withholding any professional endorsement of the proposed treatment. Furthermore, we show how patients in response to such concessions from the audiologist pursue a stronger professional ratification of their treatment solution. The lifting of the restriction on patients proposing their own treatments thus brings into relief two other institutional restrictions within the audiology clinic: (a) a restriction on audiologists rejecting patients’ treatment suggestions outright, and (b) a restriction on patients’ straightforward acceptance of treatments that are not fully endorsed by the audiologist.
Abstract
Previous studies of clinical settings show that patients exhibit an orientation towards an institutional restriction against them proposing treatment solutions for their medical condition. In this paper we demonstrate how that restriction is relaxed in a particular clinical setting, that of audiology. Focusing on video-recorded interactions in a Danish audiology clinic, we show how patients freely offer suggestions for their own treatment, even in cases where a treatment solution has already been provided by the audiologist. We further illustrate how audiologists respond to patients’ treatment proposals with concessions, through which the audiologist manages to accept the patient’s treatment proposal as a possibility, while withholding any professional endorsement of the proposed treatment. Furthermore, we show how patients in response to such concessions from the audiologist pursue a stronger professional ratification of their treatment solution. The lifting of the restriction on patients proposing their own treatments thus brings into relief two other institutional restrictions within the audiology clinic: (a) a restriction on audiologists rejecting patients’ treatment suggestions outright, and (b) a restriction on patients’ straightforward acceptance of treatments that are not fully endorsed by the audiologist.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Producing and managing restricted activities 1
- Assessments, interrogatives and semi-scripted talk in managing a restriction on advising 45
- Avoiding giving advice in telephone counselling for children and young people 83
- Withholding explicit assessments in tourist-office talk 115
- “But whose side are you on?” 151
- “Don’t tell him just help him” 181
- “I’ll suggest that to your doctor” 205
- Linguistic and interactional restrictions in an outpatient clinic 239
- Responses to indirect complaints as restricted activities in Therapeutic Community meetings 271
- Talking to/through the baby to produce and manage disaffiliation during well-child visits 305
- Concessions in audiology 337
- Transcription conventions 369
- Notes on contributors 371
- Author index 375
- Subject index 379
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Producing and managing restricted activities 1
- Assessments, interrogatives and semi-scripted talk in managing a restriction on advising 45
- Avoiding giving advice in telephone counselling for children and young people 83
- Withholding explicit assessments in tourist-office talk 115
- “But whose side are you on?” 151
- “Don’t tell him just help him” 181
- “I’ll suggest that to your doctor” 205
- Linguistic and interactional restrictions in an outpatient clinic 239
- Responses to indirect complaints as restricted activities in Therapeutic Community meetings 271
- Talking to/through the baby to produce and manage disaffiliation during well-child visits 305
- Concessions in audiology 337
- Transcription conventions 369
- Notes on contributors 371
- Author index 375
- Subject index 379
