Conflict Resolution Strategies - Essay Sample

In hospitals, and other care centers, the managers, and other leaders are tasked with ensuring that conflicts do not interfere with patients' welfare. Conflicts arise due to various reasons and may have both positive and negative impacts (Sullivan, 2013). In the given scenario, conflict emerges due to the promotion of Lydia, a nurse who had served in the hospital for only a few months. Her colleagues felt that they deserved the position more than her since they had worked for more than five years in the unit. As a result of the conflict, the working conditions in the pediatric section become adversely affected. For the sake of the patient's welfare, Lydia may adopt a competing strategy. In this case, she must be stern and highly assertive towards the other nurses. This approach can be used to restore the failing working conditions at the department. A study by Elena et al. (2012) indicated that many nurse leaders use the competing strategy as one of their main approaches in dealing with conflicts.

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Lydia may opt to identify the behaviors and attitudes associated with the staff in her department. Establishing such information will be crucial in formulating the best strategies to deal with the arising conflicts. She must look at how the employees in this department work, and interact with their leaders. Also, she must enlighten herself on how the staff feels about promotions of their colleagues. As an initial strategy, Lydia may wish to employ a compromising approach to solving the conflict. Under the compromising strategy, both parties must show cooperation and be assertive (Vivar, 2006). It means that Lydia, as the supervising nurse, must be willing to trade in some of her needs to the other nurses and consequently, they abide by some of her rules. On one side, the nurses will assume that Lydia has given in to their demands, but on the other hand, Lydia will have accomplished some of her duties which are the main agenda.

Communication Techniques

Effective communication within a medical facility is necessary. Communication enables persons in a workplace to have a mutual comprehension of the message sent and one received. When conflicts arise, the process of effective communication is adversely affected. In the given case, the nurses are uncooperative with Lydia which makes communication between them impaired. Nurses possess essential listening skills either among themselves or between them and the patient. If the communication becomes distorted among them, the impact falls on the patients (Sullivan, 2013). For Lydia to communicate effectively, she must first become a good listener to the excuses given by the nurses. After listening, she must critically evaluate the explanations given and come up with the right answer that opposes the nurse's reasons. The initial steps that a nurse leader takes are crucial in determining whether or not the strategies implemented will be useful in the long run (Institute of Medicine, 2001).

Lydia must build a good relationship with the nurses and ensure that she conveys the intended message by face-to-face communication. Direct communication is the most efficient technique in a healthcare facility (Sullivan, 2013). Through this means, information given to a nurse remains undistorted, and she can establish the reactions of the nurse. In conclusion, it is evident that conflicts within a medical facility will always occur. However, it is upon the leaders to ensure that the conflicts do not interfere with the patients' welfare. For effective conflict resolution to happen, there must be effective communication between the involved parties.

References

Elena Losa Iglesias, M., & Becerro de Bengoa Vallejo, R. (2012). Conflict resolution styles inthe nursing profession. Contemporary Nurse: A Journal for the Australian NursingProfession 43(1), 73-80.

Institute of Medicine (2001). Crossing the quality chasm: A new health system for the 21stcentury. Retrieved from http://www.nap.edu/books/0309072808/html/Sullivan, E. J. (2013). Effective leadership and management in nursing. (8th ed.). Upper SaddleRiver: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Vivar, C. G. (2006). Putting conflict management into practice: a nursing case study. Journal ofNursing Management, 14(3), 201-206.