Nurses' perceptions of their role and role conflicts

Abstract

Nurses' perceptions of their professional role and their experience of role conflict were explored in a sample of certified general rehabilitation nurses. Nonnurse healthcare professionals who are on the same teams as the participating nurses also were assessed for their expectations of the nurse's role. The level of locus of control was identified among the various professions. The major finding of the study was that the rehabilitation nurses shared a consistent view of their professional role and of how they believed other professionals saw this role. The results showed that the nonnurse professionals were to some extent unaware of the expectations that the nurses held for the nursing role. There was no appreciable difference in the level of locus of control among team members, a situation which may have a leveling effect on the team dynamics. These findings have implications for professional role clarity, the promotion of locus of control, and interdisciplinary team dynamics.