Conflict Discussion From Week 4 To Write

Conflict Discussion From Week 4 To Write Fromthere Were Many Situatio

There were many situations where conflict has arisen but one that sticks out that had a resolution attached to it was one when I was a new graduate nurse. When I was a new graduate nurse, it was very hard to establish yourself as a nurse when you are the new person on the floor. It was also intimidating because I was new, and there were people who have been on the floor for way longer than I have. I feel as though, this is an ongoing conflict that not only I had encountered, but many other nurses have encountered as well. I also don't believe that this is just for the new grad nurses.

I believe that this happens when someone is new, someone is traveling, or the person may be easily taken advantage of. As a nurse on a medical surgical unit, sometimes we are overwhelmed by the amount of medication passes that we must do. For us to do our medication passes correctly, we like must have the correct vital signs. I was having a power struggle with one of the nurse assistants on the floor. This does not come to a surprise to me because struggles over issues of control are very common in interpersonal conflict (Northouse, 2021).

She was working there for over five years and felt as if she could do as she pleases. When getting the vital signs, sometimes they do not cross over immediately on our side of things so that we can see them. It was time for another medication pass, and the nurse assistant did not alert me that one of my patients’ blood pressures was way above average. We are supposed to be alerted of out-of-range vital signs. She did not do her duty and communicate this because she did not particularly like me.

In hindsight, she put the patient’s safety at risk because she had a vendetta against me as a new nurse. This conflict affected me with my satisfaction on the job and also had a negative impact on the patient (Huber, 2019). If I was alerted about the above-average blood pressure, it would have prompted me to administer medication passes in a different order than I was currently doing so. I would have promptly gone to the patient's room to administer their blood pressure medications first instead of whatever order that they were in. This frustrated me immensely.

What the nurse assistant did was put my license on the line. I reported this to my manager after I administered the patients’ medications. We both went to her office and talked about the situation. The nurse assistant was very stale during the conversation and basically said she was busy getting calls and that it slipped her mind. She explained to her that the registered nurses are the ones that will be at fault if something goes wrong with a patient.

She also explained that it is important to communicate between the nurses so that the patient may receive the best care possible. She also mentioned that nurses can do a nurse assistance job, but a nurse assistant is not trained or licensed to do a registered nurses’ job. So therefore, it is imperative to have that open line of communication between the two. In this situation, the manager made sure that it was not about us as individuals, but about what's best for the patient. It took the focus off of us and made sure that we did our best to communicate for the patients’ well-being (Northouse, 2021).

Paper For Above instruction

In professional healthcare settings, conflict is an inevitable aspect that can impact team performance and patient safety. The conflict scenario described involves a newly graduated nurse confronting a longstanding nurse assistant over communication breakdown and safety concerns. Analyzing this situation through the lens of conflict management theories and leadership principles reveals insights into how such conflicts can be effectively resolved to foster collaboration and enhance patient care.

Initially, the conflict centered around a communication failure that posed a risk to patient safety. The nurse assistant's failure to alert the nurse about an abnormal blood pressure exemplifies issues of control and accountability, often seen in workplace conflicts where hierarchy, experience, and personal biases intersect (Northouse, 2021). This scenario underscores the importance of clear delegation, empowerment, and established communication protocols to prevent errors and misunderstandings.

Applying the principles of delegation and empowerment, it is critical that nursing professionals recognize the complementary roles of nurses and nurse assistants. As advocated by Aiken et al. (2018), effective delegation involves trust, proper training, and accountability, ensuring that all team members understand their responsibilities without overstepping boundaries. Empowering nurse assistants to communicate effectively within their scope can lead to proactive safety checks, reducing the likelihood of oversight.

Group dynamics significantly influence how conflicts are managed and resolved. Tuckman's (1965) model of team development — forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning — suggests that conflicts often surface during the storming stage. In this scenario, the nurse assistant's behavior reflected unresolved tensions and possibly a lack of understanding of team roles. Facilitating open dialogue and establishing norms around communication and accountability can help teams progress toward healthy functioning.

The conflict resolution plan should include structured communication strategies, such as SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation), to standardize information exchange (Hermer et al., 2020). Training team members on conflict resolution techniques, including active listening, assertiveness, and emotional intelligence, can promote mutual respect and collaborative problem-solving. Additionally, implementing regular team huddles and feedback sessions can foster trust and continuous improvement.

Building on the concept of transformational leadership, nurse leaders must model effective communication, set clear expectations, and foster a culture of safety and accountability (Cummings et al., 2018). Leaders should provide ongoing education emphasizing the importance of safety protocols, open communication, and recognition of team contributions. Implementing conflict de-escalation strategies, such as mediation and peer coaching, can further aid in managing interpersonal tensions.

Externally, organizational policies and a non-punitive reporting environment encourage transparency and learning from errors. The Just Culture framework (Marx, 2014) promotes accountability without fear of unjust blame, aligning with the goal of safe and effective patient care. Encouraging team members to report concerns promptly and without fear enhances overall system safety.

Summarizing, effective conflict resolution in healthcare requires a multifaceted approach that incorporates open communication, clear delegation, transformative leadership, and a supportive organizational culture. Developing these skills among healthcare professionals leads to improved teamwork, reduced errors, and better patient outcomes. For nurse leaders, mastering conflict management is essential as it directly affects team cohesion and organizational success (Northouse, 2021).

References

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• Cummings, G. G., Tate, K., Lee, S., Wong, C. A., Paananen, T., & Micaroni, S. (2018). Leadership styles and outcome patterns for the nursing workforce and work environment: A systematic review. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 89, 34–42.
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