Kontakt 2010, 12(1):7-19 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2010.002

What are the opinions of nurses concerning their occupational relationships with physicians?Nursing

Sylva Bártlová^*, Marie Trešlová

Jihočeská univerzita v Českých Budějovicích, Zdravotně sociální fakulta, katedra ošetřovatelství

The problem of occupational relationships between physicians and nurses is studied worldwide. The target of the research is to reveal, based on research examination of the relationship nurse-physician, main areas and causes of these problems and found whether the quality of the relationship nurse-physician in the Czech Republic affects their satisfaction with work, risk of burnout syndrome, fluctuation of nurses and, last but not least, whether it also affects the quality of taking care of patients. The sociological quantitative research, which employed the technique of controlled interviews of the interviewer with physicians and nurses were supplemented by qualitative examination (15 focus groups). The sample group included 535 physicians and 537 general nurses. The respondents were selected based on a random choice with the help of quota.
The study presented here was focused on elements acting in formation of relationships between physicians and nurses in the Czech Republic from the viewpoint of nurses. The answers and reactions of nurses express their opinions: whether physicians respect their work, whether they consider nurses as equivalent partners and consult questions with them concerning medical care for patients, and whether they involve nurses in scientific and research activities. The research was also aimed at a question, whether physicians support nurses in the case of solving conflicts with patients and their families.
Most nurses perceive the relationships with physicians positively and consider them important in terms of the satisfaction with work. Partial results indicate negative experience of nurses in relations to physicians. They concern behaviour of individual physicians, which are described by the respondent as overbearing, non-professional and slighting. They also encounter superiority and non-professional behaviour. Careless and sometimes also non-ethical attitude of some physicians to patients are considered by nurses as very serious and not permissible. This particularly concern presentation of information on severe diagnosis, familiarization of the patient with the therapeutic procedure, examination and dismission. The manner of the physician behaviour and communication with nurses is in opinions of nurses affected not only by a lack of time, stressing, crisis situations or urgent change in planned activities, but also by the upbringing and personality of individuals.

Keywords: relationship; nurse; physician; communication; occupational atmosphere; respect; burden

Published: March 31, 2010  Show citation