Class 17: Conflict resolution and absenteeism

Congruence

Feel safe to be yourself

Helps mitigate conflict

Intrapersonal conflict

Conflict within yourself

Ex: choosing betwen 2 options

Interpersonal conflict

Confloict between 2 people

Ex:: disgareement witha coworker 

Organizational conflict

Conflict within a group or workplace 

Ex: policy, role, or resource disputes

Prctices that contribute to effectoive confloct management in the clinical setting

Organizational structure (designed to make nurses feel empowered?, who do i report to?How is confloict handled?…)

Management style (laissez faire, transactional etc)

Personnel policies and structures 

Protecting imaging of nursing (maintaining scope of practice) while still promoting authenticity and diverse ideas 

Promoting autonomy by empowering nurses ot be leaders 

Stages of conflict

Frsutration

Conceptualization

Action 

Outcomes

Confloct stage 1: frustration

When needs, goals, or desires are blocked, causing stress or irritation.

Conflict stage 2: Conceptualization

You recognize and define the conflict, understanding who/what is involved.

Trying tom understand change 

Confloct stage 3: Action

Steps are taken to address the conflict (talking, negotiating, problem-solving).

Clarification, different perspectives, understanding 

Conflict stage 4: Outcomes

The result of the conflict, which can be positive (resolution, compromise) or negative (escalation, ongoing tension).

Fact based conflict cause

External written sources

Ex: unclear job description, confloct over med guudelines 

Goal conflct cause

Competing priorities

Ex: One nurse wants to focus on patient education, while another wants to finish charting quickly.

Approaches conflict cause

Different ideas on how to best achieve a goal

Ex: Two nurses disagree whether to use a step-by-step or checklist approach for wound care

Values conflict cause

Difference in values, opinions, and beliefs 

Ex: Difference in opinion on patient care

Approaches to use in conflict resolution

• Avoiding
• Accommodating
• Competing
• Compromising
• Collaborating

Avoiding conflict resolution style

Stay away from conflict

Accommodating conflict resolution style

Let others win to keep the peace 

Competing conflict resolution style

Assert your own needs over others

Compromising conflict resolution style

Both sides sacrafice something to reach a solution

Collaborating conflict resolution style

Working together to find a win-win solution

Role of nurse manager/leader in conflict prevention and resolution

• Prevent: Set clear rules, encourage teamwork, and communicate expectations.

• Resolve: Mediate disputes, support problem-solving, and promote fair solutions.

• Overall: Keep a positive work environment and maintain patient safety.

Mediation

Trained third party helps resolve conflict

Formal method

What do we agree/disagree on?

Social dominance

When one person or group tries to hold power or control over others, often influencing decisions, behavior, or status.

Bullying: Someones projection of insecurity, disrespecting someone, manager giving someone the worst assignment etc

Personal problems

Issues related to an individual’s internal struggles, emotions, health, or habits that affect work.

Personnel problems

Issues related to work performance, attendance, skills, or behavior in a professional role.

Examples of personal problems:

• Emotionally incongruent behavior
  (emotional instability, stress reactions)

• Chemical dependency
  (addiction, substance use affecting work)

Examples of personnel problems

• Absenteeism
  (attendance issue)

• Resistance to change / low productivity
  (work performance + attitude toward change)

• Novice challenges vs. incompetence
  (skill/competency issue)

Role stress

Feeling unable to adequately manage stressors and a percieved inability to fulfill an important life role

Ex: A nurse is expected to care for too many patients at once, chart on time, precept a student, and answer family questions.

Role strain

Emotional dissonance or anxiety experienced as a result fo role stress

Ex: A new nurse knows what tasks they should do, but doesn’t yet feel confident or skilled enough to do them independently.