Emile Durkheim discussed the changing roles from mechanical to organic solidarity. Definitions provided in class show the differences between mechanical solidarity and organic solidarity. First, mechanical solidarity involved less advanced societies that were community based. Within these communities, people played multiple roles with an emphasis on the collective. There was less of an emphasis on social status and social interaction was based on personal social contact. Bonds were developed between members of a community while bonds with society were much weaker. Next, organic solidarity involves larger populations and societies after industrialization. These societies are typified by extensive division of labor and extreme specialization. Society becomes less personal and members have increased dependence upon each other while they communicate with one another based on roles and status.
From Durkheim’s framework we can see how hospitals can be used to show the relationships defined by organic solidarity. Prior to hospitals, communities might have had a practicing doctor that would care for the needs of the community. This doctor might serve several roles could possibly even treat animals or livestock. The days of doctors making house visits in the United States are basically over. There might be smaller, remote communities where doctors still play the roles defined by mechanical solidarity but for the most hospitals are more common and perform the roles defined by organic solidarity. Different hospitals can have different specializations and require members of this society to play very specialized roles. Hospitals have security guards, desk attendants, employees working in the cafeteria, employees working in gift shops, and many other roles. It’s already apparent how different members play very specialized roles. For simplicity, let’s view hospitals as three different roles. Already over generalizing, hospitals are made up of nurses, doctors, and pharmacists. All three roles are very important and interdependent with very specialized tasks to perform. Within a hospital all three roles are necessary for patient care. Starting with generalizations, doctors diagnose and treat patients with the help of nurses and pharmacists. Nurses are crucial in providing patient care on an around- the- clock basis once doctors have diagnosed and started patients on treatment. Pharmacists ensure that patients receive the proper medications needed for treatment and specialize in how medications work as treatment options. All three roles have techs or some form of assistants that perform some or all of the duties required while under supervision. This allows the nurses, doctors, and pharmacists to focus on their primary tasks while being able to delegate work as needed in order to provide proper patient care. Each role also has specializations that require more training and certifications. This means that although two members within each role might have the same title, they might have specializations that give them different statuses. On a larger scale, different hospitals can have different specializations that require different training for their nurses, doctors, and pharmacists. Some locations might specialize in oncology whereas other locations might specialize in care for children while other locations might specialize in the transplantation of a specific organ. It is clearly evident that hospitals can be used to help explain Durkheim’s ideas on mechanical and organic solidarity.
From Durkheim’s framework we can see how hospitals can be used to show the relationships defined by organic solidarity. Prior to hospitals, communities might have had a practicing doctor that would care for the needs of the community. This doctor might serve several roles could possibly even treat animals or livestock. The days of doctors making house visits in the United States are basically over. There might be smaller, remote communities where doctors still play the roles defined by mechanical solidarity but for the most hospitals are more common and perform the roles defined by organic solidarity. Different hospitals can have different specializations and require members of this society to play very specialized roles. Hospitals have security guards, desk attendants, employees working in the cafeteria, employees working in gift shops, and many other roles. It’s already apparent how different members play very specialized roles. For simplicity, let’s view hospitals as three different roles. Already over generalizing, hospitals are made up of nurses, doctors, and pharmacists. All three roles are very important and interdependent with very specialized tasks to perform. Within a hospital all three roles are necessary for patient care. Starting with generalizations, doctors diagnose and treat patients with the help of nurses and pharmacists. Nurses are crucial in providing patient care on an around- the- clock basis once doctors have diagnosed and started patients on treatment. Pharmacists ensure that patients receive the proper medications needed for treatment and specialize in how medications work as treatment options. All three roles have techs or some form of assistants that perform some or all of the duties required while under supervision. This allows the nurses, doctors, and pharmacists to focus on their primary tasks while being able to delegate work as needed in order to provide proper patient care. Each role also has specializations that require more training and certifications. This means that although two members within each role might have the same title, they might have specializations that give them different statuses. On a larger scale, different hospitals can have different specializations that require different training for their nurses, doctors, and pharmacists. Some locations might specialize in oncology whereas other locations might specialize in care for children while other locations might specialize in the transplantation of a specific organ. It is clearly evident that hospitals can be used to help explain Durkheim’s ideas on mechanical and organic solidarity.