[Self-images and perceptions of other professions among students of nursing, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy and their importance for interprofessional cooperation].

INTRODUCTION

Interdisciplinary cooperation is necessary to provide effective and high quality treatment for clients of the health care system. Interaction between professional groups depends on how their members perceive their self-image and the image of other professions.

METHOD

Within the framework of the project "Quality in the education of health-professionals" a qualitative study with 23 nurses, 24 physiotherapists and 15 occupational therapists in the second or third year of training was conducted. Participants were asked to report their self-image and the image of the other two professions. A qualitative content analysis according to Mayring was used for data analysis.

RESULTS

Four categories emerged that allowed describing the self image and the image of the other professions: roles of the respective health professions, relation of the health professionals to their clients, attributes that typically characterized members of a particular profession, and relationship between the health professions.

DISCUSSION

Latent conflicts between professional groups became apparent. Contradicting perceptions are due to subjective bias in favour of the own professional group. Interdisciplinary collaboration requires a new culture of co-operation.