[The debate on the organization, functions and efficiency of nursing in primary care: apropos of a qualitative study]

To show the opinions that doctors and nurses express on the organisation and competences of primary care nursing, and on inter-professional relations.

Qualitative research study based on the group discussion technique known as Philips 66.

Three discussion groups, one of nurses, one of doctors and a third mixed, with 6 components each, half from Cáceres and the rest from other provinces, and all involved in primary care health delivery.

In the discussions, the three groups coincided in the importance given to nursing clinics and home visits, in the organisational advantages that the attachment as a norm of the population to a nursing clinic would bring, in the ability of nurses to perform the techniques they have habitually used, and in defence of one sole clinical record per patient. They blamed each other mutually for making few home visits. Doctors attributed to nurses under-use of records and nurses alleged doctors took no notice of their notes. On the question of their relations, doctors thought that nurses did not take on joint responsibility for the work-loads in health centres; and nurses thought that doctors did not wish to share tasks, but rather delegate or order them.

The attachment of the population to nursing clinics would favour the extension of care, the commitment to the population and the real delivery of services, as well as professional autonomy and recognition.