Conflict Resolution
A new director decides to reorganize the department you work in. This reorganization comes about without input from the employees and many of the nurses that you oversee are feeling resentful of the change. As a nurse leader, identify factors that may lead to conflict and ways you can manage them.
Wherever there are people the ability for conflict exits. Conflict is a disagreement, opposition or clash. It can affect the person emotionally, physically and specially. It can result in a fight, discord and division. Conflict can be used to motivate; however it can be destructive and should be dealt with. According to McElhaney (n.d) nurses experience six major areas of conflict. This scenario depicts one of those areas.
1. People who have experience in an area, want to feel that their opinion is considered and valued. So, when changes are made to an area or department, in which they work, have experience and are the expert; employees want to have input. In the absence of employee participation there may be apathy, anarchy and malicious compliance. Oftentimes it leads to lack of respect within the profession and feelings of anger, diminished self-worth, and conflict.
However; as a nurse manager oftentimes, changes are made without any input from the employee and I have to manage this situation. In this case, during a staff meeting, I would discuss the changes, reasons they were made, and ask for input as to how we can implement these changes such that they work more effectively in our department. By using collaboration, my goal would be to incorporate employee feedback in areas/processes under my control. This would allow the employees to feel that they have some control over their work area, their input is valued and contribute to problem solving (Cardillo, 2011).
Other areas are:
2. People have varying opinions, come from different backgrounds and culture and have different values.
When conflict arises over differing in values and cultures, then these
Wherever there are people the ability for conflict exits. Conflict is a disagreement, opposition or clash. It can affect the person emotionally, physically and specially. It can result in a fight, discord and division. Conflict can be used to motivate; however it can be destructive and should be dealt with. According to McElhaney (n.d) nurses experience six major areas of conflict. This scenario depicts one of those areas.
1. People who have experience in an area, want to feel that their opinion is considered and valued. So, when changes are made to an area or department, in which they work, have experience and are the expert; employees want to have input. In the absence of employee participation there may be apathy, anarchy and malicious compliance. Oftentimes it leads to lack of respect within the profession and feelings of anger, diminished self-worth, and conflict.
However; as a nurse manager oftentimes, changes are made without any input from the employee and I have to manage this situation. In this case, during a staff meeting, I would discuss the changes, reasons they were made, and ask for input as to how we can implement these changes such that they work more effectively in our department. By using collaboration, my goal would be to incorporate employee feedback in areas/processes under my control. This would allow the employees to feel that they have some control over their work area, their input is valued and contribute to problem solving (Cardillo, 2011).
Other areas are:
2. People have varying opinions, come from different backgrounds and culture and have different values.
When conflict arises over differing in values and cultures, then these
References: Cardillo, D. (November 28, 2011). Seven strategies for managing conflict Retrieved from http://news.nurse.com/article/20111128/DD01/311290003#.VJom714AKA McElhaney R. (n.d). Conflict Management. Retrieved from http://www.nursingcenter.com/CareerCenter/articles_preview.asp?page=confman.htm Nursing Strategies: Countering Workplace Conflict with Positive Communication Strategies. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.americansentinel.edu/blog/2011/08/10/nursing-strategies-countering-workplace-conflict-with-positive-communication-strategies/