How to identify and resolve conflict in nursing
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Introduction
In almost every organization, some conflicts occur within the members of the staff and their clients. The nursing sector cannot be left behind when it comes to an encounter with disputes. One of the most re-occurring conflicts is an interpersonal disagreement between persons. However, interpersonal conflict in nursing occurs due to either bitterness or dissatisfaction among the parties involved. Nurses are working to provide patients care in the same organization which works together avail of high-quality services. Excellent interpersonal relationship means having cooperation, collaboration, respect, and listening to each other. Strong and effective leadership is inevitable when it comes to health care success. Conflict management is a complex process that requires time and energy. This paper will explore ways of conflict resolution.
Interpersonal Disagreement
Alteration in the relationship between coworkers and clients can lead to interpersonal conflict. Also, unequal distribution of tasks and lack of understanding can trigger conflicts. In a situation where there is a negative relationship with nurses and other healthcare workers, then conflict arises. Shah 2017 discussed that managers who have busy schedules do not pay attention to interpersonal conflict; hence it becomes hard to solve it. Failure to settle the dispute, then attitudes, and poor quality work is present among nurses. Therefore, nurse leaders have a significant role in identifying the source of conflict and ways of managing it before it impacts patients’ care.
There are various sources of interpersonal conflicts, such as staff perception, scarcity in resources, competition, and differences when it comes to achieving goals. Effective managerial style is vital when it comes to solving the conflict that rises from workers such as nurses. Increase and unsolved conflicts may lead to a low outcome and a direct impact on patient’s services. According to Jerng 2017, when nurses enter the patient care unit, then they have few opportunities to take part in formal training. Improper communication, delay in care, violation of cultural beliefs, and disrespect are some of the repercussions that occur due to conflict in nursing. Experienced managers in the nursing fraternity should be able to identify the root cause of conflicts and provide ways of solving them.
Strategies for resolving interpersonal conflict
In today’s world, health care set up experience more challenges when compared to the past decades when the competition was lesser. Resolving a conflict immediately, you notice it helps in minimizing negative effects. Angelo 2019 argued that there are three ways of resolving interpersonal conflict are management behaviors of solving, forcing, and avoiding. The most crucial way in which the leaders should solve the conflict is by identifying concerns from both parties and coming up with a suitable solution. Conflict solving amongst coworkers requires individuals to show their perspective and share their feelings regarding the issues.
Employees should participate in decision making when it comes to solving a dispute to minimize the stress that occurs as a result of a poor relationship. Involving subordinate staff in solving the current interpersonal conflict increases work output and raises the team spirit hence better services. If, by any chance, a leader fails to be authoritative in solving disputes by assuming its existence that frustrates the employees. However, the employees escalate the problem and impact the patient’s care in terms of the services they receive.
Nurses Collaboration in solving conflict
According to Turrentine 2016, some organizations, when the managers communicate to nurses on the premises, they opt for collaboration as a means of dispute resolution. The resolution strategy involves ideas from other members and the leader’s opinions. After collaborating, the solution derived basically favors one side more than the other, but both parties have to arrive at a consensus for the purpose of ensuring patient care improves. However, the final solution has input from all the parties which took part in the process and their respective opinions. The decision in which the nurses walk away is basically satisfying and has a positive impact on their overall performance. When solving interpersonal conflict, the parties participating have a right to select the collaboration method if at all the situation demands. Fortunately, proper dispute resolution through collaboration makes the parties have certain approaches that are applied the next time when solving another conflict.
Conclusion
When it comes to health care services, not all cases of conflict resolution in the nursing sector acquire a fast, reliable, and thorough solution. Alternatively, some conflicts may not be fully solved by the time the participants are concluding their assignment. Nurses face dramas at their working stations from the managers and patients as well. Regardless of the kind of relationship between a specific nurse and the staff or patients, all workers should strive to provide efficient and reliable services. In the nursing industry, words from the mouth are very evident. Therefore the best thing to do is stay positive, gracious, and courteous.
Angelo E. Managing interpersonal conflict in nursing. Journal, nursing management. Retrieved from doi:10.1097/01.NUMA.0000558479.54449.ed
Jerng J. (2017) Workplace interpersonal conflict among healthcare workers. Journal. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Shah. M. (2017) Impact of interpersonal conflict in the health care setting on patients. The role of the nursing leadership style in resolving conflict. Nurse& care Open access Journal 2, (2), 00031
Turrentine, F., Rose K. M., (2016) Interprofessional training enhances collaboration between nursing and medical students: A pilot study. Nurse Education Today, 40, 33-38.