Health personnel: Perceived differences in professional relationships and work role

Abstract

This study questions the validity of the assumption that the workplace culture andexperiences of health personnel are largely similar. The study compares nurses,occupational therapists, physiotherapists and speech therapists concerning theirperceptions of professional issues within their own profession, and their perceptionsof professional issues within the medical profession. Respondents completed aquestionnaire containing 55 items referring to their own profession, and 55 itemsreferring to the medical profession. Six scales were derived from the large surveyinstrument addressing issues regarding status/cohesiveness of the profession, professionalrelationships, and the role of the patient in health delivery in the respondent?sprofession, and in the medical profession. Nurses emerged as different to other healthpersonnel on most dimensions. Few differences emerged among allied healthprofessionals. Physiotherapists were more positive than occupational therapists aboutthe status/cohesiveness of their profession, and regarded the contribution of the patientto health delivery as less important. Speech therapists did not differ significantly fromoccupational therapists on any dimension.