Paramedics in West Germany: Cooperations and Conflicts in a Contested Professional Field (1949–1990)

Cooperations and Conflicts in a Contested Professional Field (1949–1990)

Abstract

Cooperations are almost inconceivable without conflicts. For this reason, this contribution will analyse the mutual interweaving of cooperations and conflicts from a contemporary perspective. A concrete example is the situation of the rescue services in the Federal Republic of Germany. Considering the involvement of a variety of different players such as doctors, non-medical healthcare professions, charitable organisations and professional associations, conflicts are bound to occur. In addition, doctors and paramedics are in professions that are subject to different hierarchical levels, which is why positions of power must be taken into consideration in relation to conflicts and cooperations, alongside the methods of treatment. This contribution will analyse two different perspectives of cooperations and conflicts. On the one hand, the aim is to clarify that conflicts can occur within cooperative working methods. On the other hand, it will demonstrate that cooperations can result from conflicts and that they can be seen as a type of innovation motor. Both developments occur on the micro level, i. e. in the concrete conflict between doctors and paramedics. However, they can additionally influence the supply structures on the macro level as well. This will be exemplified by the conflicts regarding the professional law for paramedics. In concrete terms, the focus of previous discussions was usually centred on the question of which tasks should be taken over by the paramedics and which tasks should remain exclusive to the doctors. Due to the difficult situation of sources, the analysis shall be based primarily on normative sources. Readers’ letters shall at least indirectly offer the perspectives of concrete participants.