Managerial dynamics influencing doctor–nurse conflicts in two Nigerian hospitals

In the hospital, authority does not usually comes from a single person nor is it exercised in a single chain of command as is obtainable in most formal organizations. Doctors exercise substantial authority within the organizational structure of the hospital and therefore enjoy high autonomy in the hospital setting. This nature of autonomy within the medical and its allied professions has the propensity to incite conflicts within the hospital settings. The study thus sought to examine how the relationship of authority and influence between doctors and nurses within the hospital organization generates conflicts and to evaluate the effectiveness of managerial procedures utilized to resolve doctor-nurse conflict in the selected hospitals.