[Role concepts and role expectations of professionals in hospitals]

This article describes the results of a research about role conceptions and role expectations of physicians, nurses and patients in two general hospitals. The research reveals discrepancies between the role conceptions and role behaviour of nurses and also between the role expectations of nurses and role behaviour of physicians. In contrast, patients and physicians, for the most part, were satisfied with the role behaviour of the nurses. These discrepancies can be a barrier to collaboration between physicians and nurses and to quality of care. Discussing specific case studies is a possible strategy which can be used to influence the role conceptions and role expectations of physicians and nurses from a hospital ward.