Assignment: Nursing conflict Resolution

NOW F OR AN ORIGINAL PAPER ASSIGNMENT: Assignment: Nursing conflict Resolution

opic 4 DQ 1

A new director decides to reorganize the department you work in. This reorganization comes about without input from the employees and many of the nurses that you oversee are feeling resentful of the change. As a nurse leader, identify factors that may lead to conflict and ways you can manage them.

Abstract

The nursing profession is one that is based on collaborative relationships with both colleagues and patients. It requires individuals to work closely with others with varying backgrounds or cultures. Individuals can hold diverse values, potentially affecting these relationships, which may result in conflict. Good communication or conflict resolution skills can decrease the risk of conflict.

Conflict Resolution – Tools for Nursing Success
Introduction

“Conflict is neither good, nor bad, it just is,” (Marshall, 2006). It can occur at anytime and in any place, originating between two individuals or groups when there is a disagreement or difference in their values, attitudes, needs, or expectations (Conerly, 2004), miscommunication or lack of information (Marshall, 2006). Over time individuals learn how to respond to conflict, making it an unconscious process. Dealing with conflict properly requires the individual to develop conflict resolution skills. This is a conscious effort to control the individuals’ behavior of poor communication (Conerly, 2004).

Nurse-Patient Relationship

A therapeutic nurse-patient relationship is the foundation of nursing care. It contributes to both the patients’ well-being and their health. Conflict can impede these collaborative relationships by not allowing the nurse to fully support the patient in attaining his or her health goals (CNO, 2006). It requires individuals to work closely with others who have varying backgrounds or cultures and, hold diverse values that can potentially result in conflict. Good communication or conflict resolution skills can decrease the risk of conflict.

Evolving Roles of the Nurse

Healthcare organizations are dramatically changing the way they operate due to initiatives to increase productivity and the quality of services provided. These initiatives are forcing hospitals to break down traditional hierarchal structures and move toward a team-managed environment. As a result, nurses no longer function on nursing units in a typical subordinate role, but are finding themselves in new roles. Nurses are participating members of a multidisciplinary team improving the overall delivery of care (Baker, 1995).

Diversity can Lead to Conflict

Cultural diversity, combined with the stress of providing quality care, often results in conflict (Pettrey, 2003). According to the New York State Nurses Association (2005), unresolved conflict leads to barriers for employees, teams, organizational growth, and productivity, which results in a cultural breakdown within the organization. Conflict is a natural phenomenon (Kelly, 2006), and an inevitable aspect of life (Kemp-Longmore, 2000). It is a disagreement between individuals who perceive a threat to their needs, interests, and or concerns (Kelly, 2006). Improperly managed conflict can result in the nurses’ inability to provide quality care, and can escalate into violence or abuse (CNO, 2006).