For example, I would ask Mark to imagine what he would consider fair if he had recently been forced to work three floating shifts back to back because the unit was short-staffed as a result of Lisa's taking her vacation. Furthermore, I would explain to Mark that if his vacation spared him from having to fill floating responsibilities that is already an additional benefit to him and not something for which he deserves extra privileges or compensation. More importantly, his coworkers already had to fill more floating shifts than they would have otherwise because he was on vacation. Therefore, instead of considering himself to be unfairly burdened by being asked to fill a floating shift, Mark should be appreciative and should probably volunteer for it, precisely out of the desire to be fair to his coworkers.
That aspect of conflict resolution would be an element of collaboration in the long-term as well as the short-term because it would reduce the potential for such conflicts in general. Similarly, I would express my appreciation to Jenny for coming in on her day off to support the team, but I would suggest that once that decision is made, she cannot then make any specific demands or limitations on the capacity in which she is available for duty. In any case, to the extent the unit requires a floater Jenny is supporting the team by being available for that assignment. Ultimately, I would use collaboration to resolve this conflict because it provides the best opportunity to address the underlying problems that generated the conflict and because its most likely to improve relations in the nursing unit.
Rationale for not Selecting other Resolution...
Moreover, both avoidance and smoothing would almost certainly ensure that the same conflict would arise the very next time the issue of floating arose in the unit.
Obviously, competing would be the least useful strategy here since (among other things) the respective individuals involved are already competing intensely and have exhibited an inability to consider the merits of one another's arguments or objective fairness. Similarly, accommodating would not be an appropriate choice in this situation, mainly because the respective arguments and claims to consideration are so weak and devoid of merit. Accommodation is also impossible where respective positions are, by definition, mutually exclusive.
More particularly, in this case, accommodating the demands of any individual would require an arbitrary choice that would be tantamount to preferential treatment. Naturally, that would greatly intensify the existing conflict and only further undermine the collaborative working relationships that are essential for an efficient professional environment that is conducive to the objectives of the organization and the health, safety, and welfare of patients. Ultimately, the only viable option in this case is some form of collaboration along with a purposeful attempt to incorporate elements of supervisory input on the matter of the underlying expectations and professionalism of all the individuals in the nursing unit.
