ABSTRACT
An interesting problem in the study of the administrative organization is that of the management of conflicting role expectations by the members of the organization. One type of role is that in which the members of the organization have face-to-face relationships with the clientele of the organization. As part of a study of nurse-client interactions, information was gathered on how such role dilemmas are managed within a nursing division of a local health department. The ways in which these management problems of face-to-face relationships with clients were handled by the agency and by the nurses can provide clues for understanding the coping mechanisms used by professionals in the administrative organization. The public health nurses in the sample expressed appreciation, respect, and admiration of clients who tolerated pain and hardships without complaining, especially if the clients managed to remain cheerful.
