Discursive Power and Creativity in Inter-Professional Work

This paper discusses how discursive power and creativity are found to be inter-related in a context not traditionally associated with creative work; the operating theatre of a hospital. Here, it is proposed that creativity relies on socio-cultural factors emphasizing the practical nature of creativity, and highlighting the fact that a large part of our creativity connects with our everyday social life and practices. We assume that power is exercised in an embedded manner in everyday work and continuously reproduced and redefined between the social actors. The data utilized here derive from a collective ethnographic research project focusing on surgical workplace learning and professional identity. Observational data and field notes from work situations in operating theatres are utilized. The paper illustrates the manifestations of discursive power through three selected example episodes. Our findings show the intertwined nature of power and creativity in OT work practices. The power relations do not function only to restrict collaboration but can also promote collective creativity. Collective creativity in inter-professional work is exercise of agency in the workplace, especially with the actors with less power. Shared creative solutions in the work practices are achieved in a shared organizational culture in which power becomes discursively internalised and institutionalised. We argue that new insights will be brought up in the area of workplace learning and professional development by taking into account the institutionalized collective acts in working communities. The study supports the need for further development of inter-professional collaboration and learning in health care work organizations.