Nursing Conflict

Putting Conflict Management Into Practice: A Nursing Case Study The healthcare industry is paramount to both economic growth and societal well-being. In the United States nearly 17% of GDP comes from the healthcare sector. Nurses in particular plan a critical role in the delivery of products and services to society. Newly issued legislation regarding treatment, health insurance, and overall healthcare coverage, has exacerbated the importance of the nursing role. This role, as many are aware, can be particularly stressful.

Aspects such as illness, customer service, treatment errors, and more, can occur on a daily basis. As a result, conflict within the healthcare facility is likely to occur. Power conflicts can also occur within the nursing unit itself as individuals attempt to achieve status and wage increases. C.G. Vivar in an April 2012 issue of the Journal of Nursing Management outlines steps to help avoid and mitigate conflict within the work environment.

Of note, Vivar uses extensive case studies to help further illustrate real world instances of conflict within the nursing profession (Bullough,1972). Immediately, the reader is informed that there is no appropriate or inappropriate strategy when dealing with conflict. In fact, Vivar illustrates that the most important elements of conflict management pertain to the detecting initial symptoms of conflict and adopting policies to mitigate it. Vivar was also quick to illustrate that conflict within the work environment in many instances is beneficial.

Particularly in the healthcare field, it allows for diverge views to be properly heard and appropriately voiced. Conflict also provides ideas that ultimately provide innovative new services for clients and society. Conflict also helps organizations avoid the notion of "group think" which stifles innovation and creativity within the workforce. It is when these conflicts ultimately deter from the overall work environment that intervention must occur.

In particular management, faculty and staff must possess what Vivar terms, "Emotional Intelligence." This emotional intelligence allows members of the nursing unit to feel or anticipate conflict within the environment and take proper action to mitigate it. Vivar notes that many conflicts arise out of miscommunications and misunderstandings between parties. The communication, tone, or body language was interpreted in error. A quick method to use to mitigate this concept is to possess emotional intelligence as it relates to personal behavior.

Body language, tone of voice and facial expressions are all-important when communicating properly. Being aware of adverse tendencies can help mitigate future conflicts. One technique discussed in the case study is talking in a one-on -- one fashion. This helps to further dispel any forms of miscommunication between the two parties. Discussions on feelings, and offensive acts are important for both parties. This allows first, each party to better understand how their behavior impacts others within the workforce.

Armed with this knowledge, the individual can increase their overall emotional intelligence and take corrective action from preventing its occurrence again. Second, communication builds a bond that can compound itself during future.