I experienced conflict among nurses when doing my preceptorship in a teaching hospital. Whenever that particular nurse was on duty, his colleagues remained unhappy towards his behavior and they reacted negatively to that doctor. The conflict occurred in a healthcare setting between a nurse and co-workers. In this setting, it is observable that this particular had a tendency for coercing other workers to perform his duty. He focused on performing alternative duties and enjoyment activities exposing the patients at risks because they remained unattended. The reality of the level of conflict exercised by this nurse occurred during a shift where the patient required a sitter and the nurse needed to break for PCT. The nurse wanted to get out of the room in order to make a coffee and he announced that he was leaving the patient. When he came back, I experienced conflict because he became upset with every nurse including preceptors who were in that room. He busted to colleagues arguing that he had informed them to sit with the patients accusing them of not adhering to his instructions. Since the nurse had developed a tendency of rivalry with colleagues, each of the nurses was used to his behavior.
This conflict remained unresolved and it was a recurring one because no single nurse or preceptor who made an effort of communicating their feeling towards the behavior of that particular nurse (Finkelman, 2016). Before joining the healthcare facility, all people working in that institution had developed hatred towards the nurse but he had little awareness of his weaknesses. As a result, all other members worked as a team and they supported each happily and willingly. However, their reactions to that particular nurse were different and exposed patients to risks because they could not receive services in situations whenever that nurse was out for a little break. The fact that there was some level of conflict among the professionals and the negotiation process or communication was initiated for that length of time indicates that conflict was not resolved and it could result in severe consequences top both workers and patients.
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Based on the analysis of the conflict experience in the healthcare facility, it is evident that this rivalry lies in the category of relationship conflict. This kind of conflict originates from differences in personality styles and behaviors that an individual shows as they interact with colleagues in a particular setting (Leon-Perez et al., 2015). In organizations such as hospitals, people who do not meet in ordinary activities such as family gatherings come together. In reality, they have distinct cultural backgrounds and there is a likelihood that their actions result in conflict. In the workplace, nurses come from different regions but they have ethical rules governing their behaviors and they tend to differ in different aspects. For example, the nature of the conflict between the nurse and colleagues contains the characteristics of relationship conflict because it involves differences between one nurse and all other professionals in that field. Though teamwork is encouraged in the nursing profession, the manner in which people communicate and request colleagues to assist is a key factor in the nursing profession. This calls for a need of collaboration as defined in the American Nurses Association that calls for a need of inter-professional collaboration. However, this particular nurse applies a coercive approach which creates a negative feeling among fellow nurses.
This recurring conflict in the hospital setting reflects all the four stages of conflict experienced in the workplace. The first step for conflict is a latent conflict which is believed to originate from competition for resources and miscommunication among the involved parties. Since these factors set in early in the workplace, they are applied as indicators of conflict and workers together with managers can predict that conflict is likely to occur. This kind of conflict occurs among nurses especially when one unit of the hospital department has the feeling that the other unit is not competent in their duties. The kind of conflict experienced in the hospital between the nurse and fellow workers passed through this stage and it was predictable because the nurse had a history of accusing other nurses of not showing competence when performing duties.
Perceived conflict stage involves the creation of awareness that conflict happens in a particular time and there is a need for developing approaches for reducing the effects of that particular conflict (Finkelman, 2016). In most cases, a conflict that is at the perceived stage may be felt but people could feel the effects of such conflict. Perception is essential because it creates an opportunity for people to evaluate whether the conflict in a particular setting or not. In cases where conflict management team recognizes that conflict exists in that setting, it will be easy for people to ensure that they apply viable approaches to avoiding the effects of rivalry. Before the occurrence of the conflict experienced during preceptorship, it is evident that this kind of rivalry passed through the perceived conflict stage. For example, the nurse had a recurring behavior for showing a negative attitude towards the actions of other nurses and this provided an insight that there may rivalry which could result in significant impacts within the hospital facility.
Felt conflict occurs when people or individuals involved in a rivalry begin to experience negative anger and bitterness towards each other. The fundamental characteristics at this stage are that staff begins developing stress which can result in significant adverse effects in performing the assigned tasks (Ramsbotham et al., 2011). Whenever a rivalry arrives at this stage, there is a possibility that it may prevent the level of conflict from moving to the next level. In most cases, the conflicting parties react by avoiding the effects of the sources of stress and prevent the organization from meeting the expected goals. Though avoidance may be a simple way of avoiding conflict, it may hide several sources of conflict thus increasing the ability of the conflict to arise again with severe consequences. For example, since the nurses realized that their colleagues criticized their way of performing duties and compelled co-workers to perform duties, they chose avoidance as the best alternative to avoid conflict. In effect, they failed to check the patient when the nurse took a break to prepare coffee.
Manifest conflict happens in an organization when the level of rivalry becomes either constructive or destructive. At this stage, rivalry involves several characteristics such as refusing to perform a particular crime or denying some of the staff members (Finkelman, 2016). From the positive view, a conflict at this stage involves encouraging staff members to seek alternative ways for solving the sources of conflict. In most cases, staff members tend to act negatively at this stage because they engage in discussions that criticize the behavior of that particular nurse. During the preceptorship experience, the reactions were adverse because they developed an adverse attitude toward the actions of that particular nurse. It reached a time where fellow workers engaged in teamwork but they avoided any kind of assistance that the nurse demanded. This kind of behavior could result in significant impacts because the reactions of nurses could be harmful to patients who need close monitoring from professional nurses. For example, they failed to assist that patient when the nurse communicated that he would be out of the room.
The nature of the conflict requires a negotiation process to ensure that each of the conflicting parties reaches an agreement. Successful conflict management approach should reach a win-win outcome which indicates that every member of the units feels contented with the results of the conflict. Win-win strategy avoids further conflict that would worsen the condition (Wallensteen, 2018). This process will begin by identifying and clarifying all the issues associated with the conflict. During the negotiation process, there will be questioning of some behaviors such as the actions that resulted in the conflict experienced during this period. Since the kind of conflict exists between one nurse and several members of the team, there is a need for ensuring that they establish application of accommodation response to the conflict.
Application of negotiation and accommodation strategy is critical procedures that can ensure there is an achievement of win-win outcomes of the process. The conflict in the health facility is against one particular nurse and the entire staff. Application of negotiation process by the nurse leader creates a chance for understanding the kind of behaviors responsible for the conflict (Ramsbotham et al., 2011). Each of the conflicting parties has interests and they should be understood through negotiation approach which creates a chance for people to give their interests and give up unsuccessful ideas. The nurse leader will focus on balancing the interests of the two groups. The Accommodations approach will encourage other nurses to accommodate the deviant nurse to collaborate with other nurses for the benefits of patients in the hospital.
A conflict that occurred in the hospital setting occurred between one employer and other nurses. This level of conflict passed through all four stages of conflict and the effects of the conflict could extend to the patients because of discouraged teamwork. Though other members shared duties and they engaged in communication, they felt uncomfortable whenever compelled to perform a particular duty even it remained ethical considering their professionalism. This type of conflict was a relationship rivalry because the people felt unhappy when interacting with that particular nurse. In an attempt of responding to the conflict, nurses in the hospital reacted by avoiding interaction with these people because they failed to assist the patient against any of the duties assigned by the nurse. In situations where nurse leaders fail to handle a particular source of conflict, there is always a possibility that this rivalry will lead to severe consequences. In a situation where conflict occurs, there is a need for focusing on negotiation approach and reach a win-win outcome where every unit of conflict feels happy with the results of the negotiation process.
References
Finkelman (2016), Chapter 13: Improving Teamwork: Collaboration, Coordination, and Conflict Resolution, section on Negotiation and Conflict Resolution, pp. 324-333.
Leon-Perez, J. M., Medina, F. J., Arenas, A., & Munduate, L. (2015). The relationship between interpersonal conflict and workplace bullying. Journal of Managerial Psychology , 30 (3), 250-263.
Ramsbotham, O., Miall, H., & Woodhouse, T. (2011). Contemporary conflict resolution . Polity.
Wallensteen, P. (2018). Understanding conflict resolution . SAGE Publications Limited.
