Patients' Knowledge and Patients' Work. Patient-Patient Interaction in General Hospitals

Abstract

Patient-patient interaction is an aspect of significant impact in hospital organizations. While staff members are present for only a short part of the day, most patients are surrounded by other patients all the time Even in hospitals where length of stay is short, the interaction is intense Talking is the most important type of activity and has several functions for the patients, including helping pass time, and finding out about their illnesses, exam inations, treatment, and staff members In addition, patients offer practical services to each other The interpatient activities create an informal help system Interpatient talking is important because the medical frame of interpretation is not sufficient for them The frame of interpretation and knowledge which patients develop through their interaction is better suited to their experiences of being ill and being hospitalized.