Skip to main content

Table 2 Typology of urgent care work

From: A conceptual model of urgent care sense-making and help-seeking: a qualitative interview study of urgent care users in England

Concept of work

Individual level

Social network level

Nature of the work

Illness work

Assess and manage symptoms, regimens, and risk, and actions associated with these

Assess and manage symptoms, regimens, and risk, and actions associated with these across social network members

• Interpret, manage, evaluate symptoms and risk of symptoms

• Identify what is being sought from a service

• Decide if help is needed and/or level of care required

Moral work

Assess and legitimate ‘appropriate’ service choices

Assess and legitimate service choices in comparison to others and influenced by others

• Decide what is appropriate use

• Construct self as credible, responsible and appropriate service user

• Balance moral positioning against health risk

Navigation work

Assess services available (choose) and decide which to access (use)

Assess services available (choose) and decide which to access (use)

informed by social network

• Know about, and choose, services, facilities and resources available at different times of day

• Decide the most acceptable or convenient choice