Victor Jose Ramon Blanco Lopez,
Introduction
I am writing to you as an occupational hygiene specialist and doctor with extensive experience in the healthcare field. I am deeply concerned about the marked decline in the respect nurses have shown for doctors in recent years. This trend, which is observed in various health facilities, creates a hostile work environment and negatively affects the quality of medical care.
In the past, the relationship between doctors and nurses was characterized by collaboration, mutual respect, and trust. Physicians, as experts in diagnosing and treating disease, guided nurses in administering quality care to patients. Nurses, on the other hand, contributed their knowledge and experience in direct patient care, providing invaluable support to doctors.
However, this dynamic has changed considerably. Today, there is a growing lack of respect from nurses towards doctors. This attitude manifests itself in a variety of ways:
- Constant questioning of medical decisions: Nurses, even without the necessary medical training and experience, allow themselves to challenge decisions made by doctors, generating unnecessary arguments and delaying patient care.
- Lack of collaboration and communication: A reluctance to collaborate with physicians is observed, making teamwork and coordination of patient care difficult. Communication between the two professionals is affected, which can have serious consequences for the patient's health.
- Inappropriate comments and lack of professionalism: Nurses may make derogatory or sarcastic comments towards doctors in the presence of patients or family members, creating an atmosphere of tension and mistrust.
The causes of this phenomenon are complex and multifaceted:
- Lack of recognition: Nurses feel that their work is not sufficiently recognized or valued by doctors and society in general. This perception generates frustration and resentment, which translates into a negative attitude towards doctors.
- Work overload: The work overload that nurses experience can lead to stress and burnout, which can affect their ability to maintain a professional and respectful attitude.
- Lack of leadership and teamwork training: Leadership and teamwork training is critical to fostering positive relationships among healthcare professionals. However, this training is often deficient in the training of nurses.
Action needs to be taken to reverse this negative trend:
- Promote dialogue and collaboration: It is essential to create spaces for dialogue and collaboration between doctors and nurses to foster mutual respect and understanding of different roles and responsibilities.
- Recognize the value of nurses' work: It is necessary to recognize and value the fundamental work that nurses do in the healthcare system. This will help improve their self-esteem and motivation, and reduce tension with doctors.
- Improve leadership and teamwork training: Leadership and teamwork training should be a fundamental part of nurse training. This will allow them to develop the skills needed to work effectively with doctors and other healthcare professionals.
Restoring mutual respect between doctors and nurses is critical to ensuring quality health care. Only through working together and collaborating can a positive and safe working environment be created that benefits patients, healthcare professionals and the healthcare system as a whole.
