Illegitimate tasks are those that workers think they should not have to perform, either because they are unnecessary or not part of their specific role. In this study with hospital nurses, physicians, and other direct and indirect healthcare staff, 20% reported illegitimate tasks occurred frequently in their setting. Although respondents were not asked to specify illegitimate tasks, the authors hypothesize that physicians, who reported the highest prevalence of frequency of illegitimate tasks, may perceive "administrative" tasks as illegitimate.