Background and objective
As a multidisciplinary team approach to provide better healthcare, cooperative relationship and conflict management are important among various health professionals in a hospital. We aimed to investigate the conflicts and its managements among doctors, nurses, and other health professionals in a hospital.
Subject and method
This study was conducted as a part of educational resource development of ethics for medical students. Survey questions were developed and health professionals in a tertiary referral hospital received a self-report questionnaire about current status and solutions of their conflict management and perceived relationship between occupations. 353 responses were included finally for analysis.
Result
Of 353 subjects, 54.1% had less than 5 years of work experience, and 86.1 % (n=304) were resident doctors (n=95, 26.9%), nurse (n=124, 35.1%), or other health professionals (n=85, 24.1%). Contact frequency was asked and residents answered in the order of nurses then other health professionals, nurses answered residents then other nurses, other health professionals answered nurses then residents to be contacted more frequently. The occupation that was most difficult to establish a cooperative relationship was asked and residents and nurses answered each other while other health professionals answered residents. The occupation that caused conflict most frequently was also asked and residents and nurses answered each other but other health professionals pointed out nurses. The reason of conflict was asked by a multiple choice question and inhospitable attitude (n=166), allotment of activities (n=141), emergency situations (n=57), improper titles (n=19) were replied. Residents suggested solutions of these conflicts as interdisciplinary communication programs, education of other occupations activities, clear job distribution. The solutions by nurses and other health professionals were respecting each other, avoiding authoritarianism and increasing personnel.
Conclusion
Respecting other occupations as well as enhancing work process is important in conflict management and educational programs are needed.