Journal of advanced nursing
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The idea that much of nursing is 'ritualized' activity which is harmful to patient care assumes that 'ritual' itself is unacceptable behaviour or practice. At a time when market forces are clearly influencing the delivery of care and, in turn, changes in nursing practice, it has become important both to clarify what 'ritual' is and to determine its existence and 'form' within nursing. ⋯ There is a clear need, however, to determine specifically the difference between 'unsafe outdated practices' and ritual in a cultural 'sense'. This would ensure that what had to be relinquished would in no way jeopardize the future existence of nursing and nurses as socially cohesive groups with their own culture.