S.TRUEMAN PhD THESIS 2016

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To demonstrate this complexity, Table 8.1a lists some of the various human and non-human actors involved in aero-evacuating a mental health patient from a community. Table 8.1a Table of Actors Who Have Input into the ‘System’ Human actors Mental health patients, remote nurses, director of nursing, psychiatrist, mental health nurses, paramedics, police officers, pilot, first officer pilot, aviation nurse, flight controller, mental health unit personnel, emergency department personal, consult-liaison mental health nurse, ambulance radio operator, RFDS bookings personnel, mental health unit registrar, mental health unit team leader/nurse unit manager, airport personnel, mental health patient family/friends, community leaders/members Non-human actors Policies, procedures, belief systems, computers, computer software, electricity, telephones, video-conferencing facilities, satellite communicability, cables, ambulance, police car, beds, wards, doors and locks, rooms, corridors, airplane, medications, roads, airports, run ways, fuel, radios, radio channels, email accounts, linen, language, confidence, trust, security, uniforms, lights, team work, goal(s), understanding, pens, paper, tables, chairs, medical equipment, time, rules, safety equipment, coordination, charts, energy, commitment, operating trolley table, personal hygiene items, radio waves, computer programmers, glass, air conditioning If the same list is contrasted with the same social world of 100 ago, this creates a stark demonstration of the essentiality of knowing that innate objects do influence social behaviour and action—the essence of actor-network theory. Their absence of materiality produces an absence by the actors of the associated actions and behaviours; the object’s absence creates a human void of action. Table 8.1b illustrates this by crossing through those actors that were not in existence then for remote nurses delivering mental healthcare. Actors that are bracketed would have been in limited supply 100 years ago.