Interprofessional Rivalry in Nigeria’s Health Sector: A Comparison of Doctors and Other Health Workers’ Views at a Secondary Care Center

Abstract

Objectives:

To examine interprofessional rivalry (IPR) between doctors and other health workers and their understanding of its effects.

Introduction:

IPR in Nigeria’s health system is a burgeoning issue with apparent adverse effects. The most profound rivalry appears to be between doctors and other health workers.

Methods:

A descriptive cross-sectional study involving 120 health workers (24 doctors and 96 other health workers) at the State Specialist Hospital, Okitipupa, Ondo State, Nigeria. Pertinent data were collected via semistructured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS Version17.0.

Discussion:

IPR is perceived to be the leading cause of conflicts among health workers by 70% of respondents. Doctors and other workers had significantly divergent opinions on the leadership of the health team, patient management, establishment positions, and monetary issues as well as on the effects of IPR with more doctors recognizing its hazards. Nearly half of the respondents believe that strikes are justifiable and the most recommended antidote is for the government to attempt to meet group needs.

Conclusion:

IPR has reached unprecedented levels in Nigeria. However, its adverse effects have not been duly recognized, especially by nondoctors. There is an urgent need for education of health workers on the deleterious effects of IPR.

Keywords

conflict interprofessional rivalry doctors health workers health system/sector

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Davidhizar

. Conflict management styles of Asian and Asian American nurses: implications for the nurse manager. Health Care Manag 2004; 23: 46–53.

Swansburg

. Introduction to management and leadership for nurse managers, 3rd ed. Boston, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2002.

World Health Organization. Working together for health. World Health Report, World Health Organization, Geneva, 2006.

Kleinman

. Leadership strategies in reducing staff nurse role conflict. JONA 2004; 34: 322–324.

Gardner

Cary

. Collaboration, conflict, and power: lessons for case managers. Family Commun Health 1999; 22: 64–67.

O’Driscoll

Beehr

. Moderating effects of perceived control and need for clarity on the relationship between role stressors and employee affective reactions. J Soc Psych 2000; 140: 151–159.

Elloy

Terpening

Kohls

. A causal model of burnout among self-managed work team members. J Psychol 2001; 135: 321–335.

Peiro

Gonzalez-Roma

Tordera

et al.

Does role stress predict burnout over time among health care professionals?

Psychol Health 2001; 16: 511–525.

Tabak

Orit

. Relationship between how nurses resolve their conflicts with doctors, their stress and job satisfaction. J Nurs Manag 2007; 15: 321–331.

10.

Kroposki

Murdaugh

Tavakoli

et al.

Role clarity, organizational commitment, and job satisfaction during hospital reengineering. Nurs Connect 1999; 12: 27–34.

11.

Jex

Adams

Bachrach

et al.

The impact of situational constraints, role stressors, and commitment on employee altruism. J Occup Health Psychol 2003; 18: 171–180.

12.

Onoka C. Patients suffer as Nigerian healthcare workers continue a strike, who cares? Nigeria Health Watch, http://www.nigeriahealthwatch.com/2010/08/patients-suffer-as-nigerian-healthcare.html (2010, accessed 12 August 2015).

13.

Adeniji

. Group-think among health workers: the Nigerian perspective. Researcher 2010; 2: 1–4.

14.

Oleribe

Ezieme

Oladipo

et al.

Industrial action by healthcare workers in Nigeria in 2013–2015: an inquiry into causes, consequences and control—a cross-sectional descriptive study. Hum Res Health 2016; 14: 46.

15.

Anyika

. Challenges of implementing sustainable health care delivery in Nigeria under environmental uncertainty. J Hosp Adm 2014; 3: 113–126.

16.

Chima

. Global medicine: is it ethical or morally justifiable for doctors and other healthcare workers to go on strike? BMC Med Eth 2013; 14: S5.

17.

Iyang

. Interprofessional conflict in Nigeria’s health care system. Niger J Health Plan Manag 1998; 3: 47–50.

18.

Information Nigeria. Jonathan receives Yayale Ahmed C’ttee Report, promises to end ‘unhealthy rival’ in health sector, http://www.informationng.com/2014/12/jonathan-receives-yayale-ahmed-cttee-report-promises-to-end-unhealthy-rival-in-health-sector.html.(2014, accessed 04/10/2015).

19.

Roseline

Clement

. Questionnaire on nurses and doctors in University Teaching Hospitals in Southern Western Nigeria. BMC Nurs 2006; 5: 2.

20.

Nigeria Medical Association. The official website of the national arm of the Nigerian Medical Association, http://www.nationalnma.org/newsview.php?id=119 (accessed 17/11/14).

21.

Ogbonnaya

Adeoye-Sunday

. The perception of health professions on causes of inter-professional conflict in a tertiary health institution in Abakaliki, southeast Nigeria. Niger J Med 2007; 16: 161–168.