Abstract

AIM: This study was designed to assess the working relationship between Medical Practitioners and Nurses working at Federal Medical Centre, Owo, Ondo–State, Nigeria.
METHOD: It was an e–mail based questionnaire which was sent to 128 subjects selected by simple random sampling. Hard copies of the questionnaire were sent to respondents who for one reason or the other could not respond to the on–line message. The information obtained included the bio–data of respondents, perception of respondents about the working relationship between Doctors and Nurses as well as the factors affecting it. The data obtained with the study instrument was collated and analyzed with statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 15.0.1.
RESULT: 117 respondents were received. The respondents comprised of 65 Doctors and 52 Nurses. Fewer respondents (N 44, 39.2%) were of the opinion that Doctors and Nurses had cordial working relationship. The factors that significantly affected the professional relationship between Doctors and Nurses included individuals’ peculiar behavior (p value=0.004), gender differences (p value=0.015), cultural demand for respect (p value =0.013) and disregard for other professionals (p value=0.011).
CONCLUSION: Majority of the respondents were of the opinion that a poor working relationship exist between doctors and nurses and they suggested that the factors militating against good working relationship between them should be addressed accordingly.

Key words: Nurses, Physicians, Working relationship, Nigeria

Article Language: Turkish English