S.TRUEMAN PhD THESIS 2016

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a problem or issue is not already constructed or ‘out there’ (Sarker et al., 2006). The issue or problem to be solved is relationally constructed, in response to the presenting circumstances and results in the necessary actors being identified (Broer, Nieboer & Bal, 2010). An example of this could be a suicidal mental health patient presentation at night. The remote nurse would be the initial actor to attend, and usually the only actor. It is entirely within their discretion, based on their skills of assessment and experience, as to whether they will involve others actors and actants within the network. If they require police assistance (actor), they will make that decision and utilise the telephone (actant). If the question is to medically evacuate the mental health patient then the remote nurse will initiate the bringing of other dormant actors into the network (psychiatrist, mental health nurse, remote nurses), and into action. The remote nurse creates a system of alliances, associations and relationships, between actors (the other parties in the actor arena, i.e. RFDS, psychiatrists, regional hospital) that must be constructed in order to achieve specific goals—the aero-evacuation of the mental health patient. While the remote nurse may not make the final decision concerning whether the mental health patient is flown out of the community, all actors are reliant on the remote nurse for information to make such a decision. Only the remote nurse possesses the indispensable first-hand knowledge. The term ‘problematisation’ is employed rather than ‘problem’ because it captures two advantages. First, the definition of the problem or issue emerges from a performance of negotiation and not from a perspective (Mol, 1998). Second, problematisation is not a singular event but is constructed of repeated (dynamic) practices. Hence the term ‘problematisation’ allows the researcher to follow how the different actors or groups within