Role conflicts in nursing and allied health: a comparison of professional and organizational commitment

Role compatibility and conflict between organizational and professional commitment for nurses, high school teachers, college faculty, and social workers have been the focus of several studies over the past two decades. The typical view has been that the professional employee must choose between the profession and the employing organization, since the values of each conflict. Primarily, studies have shown a basic incompatibility between professionals and organizations: the professional is seen as responding to authority based on expertise, while the organization is characterized by authority based on hierarchical position. Since a study of this type has not been conducted in allied health specifically, the purpose of this study was to examine whether bureaucratic and professional role concepts conflict with the allied health professional. Recent graduates and graduates with two years of employment experience representing nursing and four allied health disciplines at one institution were surveyed. Results of the study indicated that the respondents were able to maintain a high degree of professional commitment without perceiving undue conflict from the demands of the organization. Based on the findings, allied health educators are encouraged to examine the curriculum to ensure graduates are prepared for the realities of employment as well as committed to their respective professions.