Orderlies in Québec: torn between love of the trade and aversion of the tasks
The aim of this article is to show how analysis of the activity of orderlies in nursing homes in Quebec allows us to understand the process producing the gap between their love of the job and their distaste for the task. The theoretical contribution of psychology and sociology of work is fruitful to understand the difference between their professional ideal (care) and the actual work largely conditioned by the heavy workload. We demonstrate that the orderlies are trying to develop and collectively apply strategies in the workplace to reduce this gap, sign of their capacity for collective autonomy and inventiveness. The recognition of the existence of such strategies and autonomy by health organizations would hatch a political debate on the real skills developed by these employees, avoiding the single speech naturalizing or individualizing widespread.