NR 510 Week 5 Discussion: Conflict at the Office
Leadership is not room. It is multifaceted & must be communicated as a stated plan to effect a change.
... [Show More] Organizational leaders provide a vision & move others toward a common goal. This vision also reinforces the importance of teamwork in the workplace.
According to Buppert (2015), quality improvement & patient safety are inextricably intertwined. A work environment that supports teamwork & respect for other people is essential to promote patient safety & quality of care. Unprofessional behavior is disruptive & adversely impacts patient & staff satisfaction, the recruitment & retention of healthcare professionals, communication, teamwork & undermines a culture of safety. Unprofessional behavior is therefore unacceptable.
Discussion Question:
In this scenario, what evidence-based organizational strategies & management skills might you employ to resolve co-worker conflict? Reflect on conflict resolution strategies specifically for healthcare. How does teamwork increase patient safety? Provide evidence & rationales to support your decisions. Provide evidence & rationale to support your decisions.
Answer
When I hear the term conflict, I most often associate it with something negative in nature. However, after this week’s discussion, the experience of dealing with conflict can lead to positive outcomes as well. Conflict that is managed effectively can lead to personal & organizational growth. DeNisco & Barker (2015) state, “Conflict is a natural process of interprofessional teamwork, which can lead to positive or negative group functioning, depending on leadership style” (p. 139). Facing conflict in a leadership role is routine, therefore it is imperative for leaders to be cognizant of the basic components & learn the essential skills of conflict management. We all have different personalities, cultures, beliefs & values, & ways of performing tasks, which makes it that much easier for conflict to arise. If conflict is not managed effectively, it can negatively impact the healthcare professional’s ability to provide safe, high quality patient care & escalate into violence in the workplace (Longo, 2010). Because of this, healthcare professionals need to be aware of the ways in which conflict can escalate & be prepared to prevent or manage it in the workplace.
Most often I would think of patient safety initiatives as efforts to reduce the risk of falls, infection, & medication errors, just to name a few. But the way healthcare professionals interact with each other is also an important factor to consider. When conflict & even disruptive behaviors are not resolved or ignored by leadership, healthcare professionals may leave their place of employment, or even leave the profession entirely (Johansen, 2012). This can also have an adverse effect on patient care & safety, creating a shortage of skilled professionals. According to DeNisco & Barker (2015), nurses most often utilize passive-aggressive methods to resolve conflict, such as avoidance, withholding, smoothing over, & comprising.
What evidence-based organizational strategies & management skills might I employ to resolve co-worker conflict? One way to address conflict management is through mediation, which is used when both parties involved in the conflict seek to have a neutral third party guide them to reaching a neutrally satisfying agreement (Oore, Leiter, & LeBlanc, 2015). In these situations, an experienced mediator can be employed to establish a private environment for the individuals to discuss the situation & assist in guiding them towards a workable solution. I may also engage in coaching by introducing education that emphasizes on team building & refining the relationships among the employees. Leaders can minimize escalating conflict by educating nurses to learn how to effectively resolve conflict themselves. This can be accomplished through case scenarios & working with the education department on role-playing exercises (Johansen, 2012). As healthcare professionals, it is our duty & responsibility to minimize conflict & increase our efficiencies teamwork. Teamwork is built on the solid foundation of collaboration & communication. When teamwork is present in the health care setting, patients are receiving safe, high quality care, because healthcare professionals (nurses, physicians, pharmacists, etc.) are integrating additional knowledge, skills & competencies from fellow professionals. Effective teams can also recognize potential problems, therefore reducing the number of medical errors & working towards the common goal of patient safety.
References
DeNisco, S.M., & Barker, A. M. (2015). Advanced practice nursing: Essential knowledge for the profession (3rd ed.). Retrieved from https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com
Johansen, M. L. (2012). Keeping the peace: Conflict management strategies for nurse managers. Nursing Management, 43(2), 50-54. doi:10.1097/01.NUMA.0000410920.90831.96
Longo, J. (2010). Combating disruptive behaviors: Strategies to promote a healthy work environment. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 15(1), 1-3. doi:10.3912/OJIN.Vol15No01Man05
Oore, D. G., Leiter, M. P., & LeBlanc, D. E. (2015). Individual & organizational factors promoting successful responses to workplace conflict. Canadian Psychology, 56(3), 301-310. doi: 10.1037/cap0000032 [Show Less]