Processing: examining the multiple realities of health crises via matters of care

Brandi Lewis (She/They), Penn State

February 22, 2024 @ 12:00 pm to 01:00 pm

125 Borland
University Park

How does medical technology mediate understanding and experience of a health emergency or disabling event? What are the impacts of biometric data and care-providing hardware/software that create distance from the embodied patient experience? Often, when the wellness of an individual is questioned, so is the belief in their capacity to care for themselves, especially in an emergency room or ICU. How we engage with care starts with how we understand those who are worthy of receiving care and how we conceptualize bodies in need of care. This talk examines care ethics during a crisis by noticing the mundane aspects of a hospital room—paying attention to small, annoying, or quiet things that affect a person's healing—and their impacts on patient care.