Conflict Resolution Paper Essay Example

Conflict Resolution Paper Essay Example Conflict Resolution Paper Essay Conflict Resolution Paper Essay Conflict Resolution Paper As nurses, it is imperative that we have skills to deal with conflict we encounter throughout the day. Some conflicts are easily handled with simple solutions; other disagreements can persist for weeks or even months and never be handled in a proper way to resolve the situation. The later kind of situation can create resentment, anger, and animosity between employees or colleagues. In this paper I will describe a conflict situation with resolution strategies used by the confronter, discuss other ways to resolve the conflict, and discuss the conflict theory most beneficial to use with a diverse group of people. Introduction The emergency department (ED) I work at employs patient care technicians (PCTs) to help with various tasks that can be delegated. PCTs have very important roles in all nursing settings, and it is true for my ED as well. Often times PCTs are being pulled in different directions as many patients need help with daily living and tasks that can be completed by non-licensed healthcare providers. PCTs jobs are invaluable to the department and the nurses. In the past, we had three PCTs for our 24 bed ER. Each PCT was assigned to a section with two nurses and eight patient rooms. Every nurse could call any of the available PCTs for help. This has created a situation where nurses and PCTs got frustrated. Nurses got upset because at times all three techs were helping in other sections and there was nobody to help in their own sections. PCTs were frustrated because they felt that they were being pulled in every direction. This system was creating a situation that was not working out for effective patient care and produced a tense working environment. PCTs felt underappreciated and over used. Because PCTs did not have a standard section, they did not feel that they made a difference in patient care. They also felt like they were not helping out the nurse, or getting the job done. The PCTs personal job satisfaction was not met. The nurses’ attitude changed toward the PCTs. Some nurses felt that some of the PCTs were playing favoritism toward some of the nurses. Other nurses stopped asking for help and did the job on their own. The added work has created extra stress on the nurse and caused resentment toward the PCT. Nurses were unhappy and felt like they could not count on the help from the PCTs. Eventually this flawed system also affected patient care. Nurses had to prioritize. Taking care of patients by facilitating diagnostic testing, lab testing, medicating patients, and keeping patients alive was more important than, for example, bringing them a warm blanket or snacks. Patients had to sometimes wait for a long time to get disconnected from the monitors to go to the restroom. As a result, patient satisfaction has declined. Conflict Resolution Strategy Used The conflict management demonstrated by the parties involved is avoidance. According to Kelly 2010, there is a disadvantage of this conflict management method. Ignoring the conflict can create a bigger conflict than anticipated, and the source of the problem is more important to one of the parties than the other† (Kelly, 2010, p. 160). This is true for the situation described above. The problem was more important to nurses as it hindered our jobs and made us look bad from the patients’ perspective as evidenced by the declining patient satisfaction scores. The conf lict was suppressed by the involved parties that led to new feelings and attitudes. Not handling a conflict in an effective way has negative effects. Some of the outcomes we can see from avoiding a conflict are low job satisfaction and high work related stress (Wright, 2011). Other outcomes can be identified as burnout among health care workers which can result in â€Å"absenteeism, reduced quality of healthcare delivery, and higher organizational cost, emotional exhaustion, and depersonalized feelings toward patients and coworkers† (Wright, 2011, p. 7). We can see from the conflict described in the scenario that avoiding is counterproductive. Avoidance results in resolution being delayed rather than resolving the issue in a timely manner (Eason Brown, 1999). The ill feelings between PCTs and nurses were created by avoiding talking about the problem for a long time. Avoidance resulted in a snowball effect of increasing resentment and anger between the two groups. Conflict Transformational Theory Solving conflict using the transformational theory is beneficial. According to Chinn (2008), using the conflict transformation theory, the conflict transformation is used before there is a conflict. Any rising issue is addressed in a constructive way, paying attention to possible lessons learned (Chinn, 2008). Using the transformational theory would have revented the bad feelings towards each other. It is not one person’s responsibility to try to resolve a conflict (Chinn, 2008). If transformational theory were used in the described situation, the problem would have been addressed much earlier. Management would have called for a meeting where everybody would have had a chance to voice their problem according to the transformational steps an d theory described below. As a disagreement arises, the group follows specific steps to come to a solution. Chinn (2008), describes four steps of critical reflection. First, each member has a chance to describe the how â€Å"I feel†¦Ã¢â‚¬  about the conflict (Chinn, 2008). In the second step, the group focuses on â€Å"when (or about)†¦Ã¢â‚¬  where the team states the events that lead to the conflict, acknowledging individuals involved (Chinn, 2008). In the third and fourth steps, the members state what they want to see changed and their rationale (Chinn, 2008). It is important to understand how to communicate feelings that are non-threatening and to the point. Using the conflict transformation theory the person avoids using a statement that labels, blames, or places guilt on another person (Chinn, 2008). Constructive statements that state your feeling and identifies the facts of what has happened should be used (Chinn, 2008). Sharing feelings in a non-threatening way allows more discussion (Chinn, 2008). We need to learn to respond to critical reflection without becoming defensive or getting upset. When we are responsible for the conflict, we can learn to respond constructively by following these steps. Listen to what the person is saying, wait for the others’ perspective of the situation in the group, and think about the critical reflection (Chinn, 2008). After these steps we can often make a decision of the fairness of the allegations. Using these steps allows us to respond to a critical reflection in a constructive way that does not sound defensive or apologetic. Present gossip in a positive way. People usually envision gossip as negative, but we can exhibit gossip in a helpful way (Chinn, 2008). To avoid rumors that blames or have potentially damaging affect on the other person, be able to name the purpose of the gossip (Chinn, 2008). According to the conflict transformation theory, when we talk about other people we should present the information in a way that could open the possibilities for greater sympathy and acceptance (Chinn, 2008). Using gossip positively avoids hurting others. It is essential to be able to deal with conflicts and feelings of anger. Feeling angry towards a situation is a clue that something needs to change (Chinn, 2008). At times, it is not possible to see a solution until we take a break away from the conflict (Chinn, 2008). Another way to learn to cope with feelings of anger is rehearsing through role play (Chinn, 2008). Use a situation that occurred in the past and practice when not feeling irritated (Chinn, 2008). Understanding ways to deal with irritating situations is important. Conflict Resolution for Diverse Groups of People We encounter conflict on a daily basis. Some examples of origins of conflict among coworkers can be differences in individual personality characteristics, people with different cultural backgrounds, and between nurse-patients, or nurse-physician (Albardiaz, 2009). Conflict is unavoidable, but it is important to be able to handle it efficiently. The first step in conflict resolution starts with one’s self. To improve our conflict resolution abilities we need to understand our own tendencies, patterns, and beliefs (Smith-Trudeau, 2011). This requires us to look inside ourselves and analyze our values (Smith-Trudeau, 2011). Understanding our own beliefs will help us in resolving challenging conflicts. Collaborative approach to solve a conflict is advantageous. This style is also known as mutual gains, because it aims for the idea of â€Å"win-win† for the parties concerned (Smith-Trudeau, 2011). The parties involved exchange information openly, identify their problems, and outline alternatives to solve these problems (Smith-Trudeau, 2011). Collaborative model â€Å"requires confidence, trust, understanding, empathy, sincerity, and honesty between parties† (Albardiaz, 2009, p. 469). Nurses need to be able to recognize and work with nurses from diverse groups. Diversity in nursing can arise from different cultural background, educational and language differences, and different perceptions through generations or life experiences (Kelly, 2010). Being aware of differences among co-workers helps us communicate more effectively. Nurses need to be aware of that some nurses possess different cultural and educational background. According to Kelly (2008), there are an increasing number of nurses with other than White racial background, who may have different perceptions about nursing and nursing roles. For example, Philippine American nurses feel that caring bedside nursing is the core of nursing, whereas some American nurses feel devalued and would delegate some bedside care tasks (Kelly, 2010). Recognizing different personal value systems through diverse culture or education, we can accept the differences among us. It is important to communicate effectively with nurses whose English language is the second language. To avoid potentially harmful errors, we must take the time to clarify and understand what is being communicated to us (Kelly, 2010). Because of insecurity or other reasons, the foreign nurse may not be comfortable asking for clarification, it is a good idea to ask and make sure that the other person understands what we are conveying. American nurses need to avoid using slang terms and regional expressions, as nurses from other countries may not understand these expressions (Kelly, 2010). Being able to communicate effectively with co-workers who speak English as a second language is essential. Diversities can occur among generations. Age differences between generations can be as much as 15-20 years (Kelly, 2010). Perceptions about work and work ethics can vary between generations (Kelly, 2010). The older generation was raised with more discipline. The baby boomer generation aim for â€Å"material gain, recognition, promotions, and job security† (Kelly, 2010, p. 369). The X generation is willing to change jobs to advance in their careers (Kelly, 2010). Understanding the different goals and needs of the various generations helps us create a harmonious work environment. Conclusion I have described a conflict situation and the resolution strategy used by the parties to resolve the conflict, discussed an alternate outcome if transformational conflict resolution was used for the same situation, and talked about the importance of nurses ability and ways to work with diverse group of people. There are different ways to handle conflicts. In this scenario described above, the involved parties used the avoidance conflict theory. This theory is the least favorable way to handle a conflict as it is a no-win situation for everybody involved. The transformation conflict theory is a better way to resolve conflicts. Following the transformation conflict resolution theory, groups handle any arising situation using specific steps (Chinn, 2008). The transformational theory addresses effective ways to handle disagreements, gossip, and situations with angry feelings (Chinn, 2008). As nurses, we come in contact with a diverse group of people. Differences can be cultural, educational, language or generational (Kelly, 2010). To work together and communicate effectively nurses need to be aware and accept the differences among us. References Albardiaz, R. (2009). Teaching confrontation skills: a session on conflict resolution. Teaching Exchange, 468-470. Retrieved from http://web. ebscohost. com. ezproxy. midwives. org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer? vid=5hid=125sid=d833e545-0740-4741-9a95-e4998d4255c7%40sessionmgr113 Chinn, P. L. (2008). Peace and Power Creating Leadership for Building Community (7th ed. ). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Eason, F. R. , Brown, S. T. (1999, May/June). Conflict management: assessing educational needs. Journal for Nurses in Staff Development , 15(3), 92-96. 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