BEHIND CLOSED DOORS: UNVEILING THE INTRIGUING DYNAMICS IN THE DOCTOR-NURSE COLLABORATION IN JOS UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA

The working relationship between doctors and nurses is crucial to delivering high-quality healthcare, but it often presents its own set of challenges. This paper explores the less visible aspects of how doctors and nurses relate with each other on the job, paying attention to how they communicate, the roles they play, and the power structures that influence their interactions. A qualitative approach was used for this study, relying on in-depth interviews to understand the real-life experiences of both professionals. Interviews were held with 20 participants—10 doctors and 10 nurses—drawn from departments such as Surgery, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Orthopedics, and Emergency Medicine. The selection covered a mix of departments and job levels to reflect different perspectives within the hospital system. The study found that issues like ego clashes, rivalry, poor teamwork, work-related stress, and the constant tension between urgent and important tasks all have an impact on doctor-nurse collaboration at Jos University Teaching Hospital.