Using a sociological approach to answering questions about paramedic professionalism and identity

Abstract

With evidence-based practice now the norm, paramedics today can confidently and readily search for answers to clinical questions. For anyone seeking to better understand the non-clinical aspects of paramedic practice, however, looking to social theory can be a starting point. Understanding social theory gives paramedic researchers a lens through which to closely examine every day events and behaviours that affect paramedic practice within the context of society. Arguably, the move towards professionalisation is one of the most significant events impacting paramedicine today. Alongside this professional evolution, the practitioner identity is gradually being challenged and reshaped, raising a number of important questions. The purpose of this article is to explore how paramedic researchers can use two prominent social theorists, Bourdieu and Goffman, to explore inevitable questions related to professions and professional identity.