Conflicts in Clinical Nursing Discussion 2022

Running head: CONFLICTS IN CLINICAL NURSING
Conflicts in Clinical Nursing
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CONFLICTS IN CLINICAL NURSING1
In order for clinical leaders to positively resolve conflict, they must develop strategies
that are effective in dealing with relationships and the various conflicts that are linked with
these relationships. Moreover, it is essential to understand what the term ‘conflict’ entails.
Recognizing conflict and building the adequate skills that are needed to resolve these issues is
an essential aspect of a leader. Thus, in order to settle these conflicts, it is imperative to
utilize proper tools and competence (Jeong, 2018). The primal focus of this discussion is to
properly understand the term ‘conflict’ and most importantly chalk out the strategies that may
be used in order to reduce conflict in a clinical environment.
It is essential for nursing leaders to proactively handle conflict in regards to patient
safety and even patient safety. Conflict may be defined as the disagreement between
parties where one of the parties have perceived a distinct threat to their interests and
concerns (Wallensteen, 2018). However, this may be deemed as a narrow definition of the
term. Ongoing conflicts at the work place are extremely complicated due to the intricate and
complex relationships that are involved. Moreover, due to the various and diverse perceptions
of individuals, often times it becomes difficult to come to a mutual agreement (O'Sullivan,
2017). There are several examples of intra-profession conflicts which may occur in a
clinical environment. For instance, there may be a severe case of bullying between two
nurses. This may evolve out of a jealousy out of many other factors. Facing these
conditions on a regular basis proves to be extremely difficult for a GRN nurse.
These instances of conflict can severely impact a nurse’s experience in a negative
manner. For instance, continuous bullying may lead to emotional distress. This in turn leads
to a tremendous level of job dissatisfaction. As a result, either the nurses would leave this
profession while at other times many nurses would continue to work in an unhappy
manner. Poor colleague relationship, especially when it comes to nursing, would also
negatively influence the nursing team (Cherry & Jacob, 2017). This in turn would break the

CONFLICTS IN CLINICAL NURSING2
unity of the team and lead to a great deal of unnecessary arguments. The dissatisfaction levels
of a nurse could also affect patient health as well. Furthermore, in extreme situations
where conflict results in violence, the quality of patient care would be greatly
compromised. If these conflicts are left unresolved, then it would severely hamper the
clinical environment (Almost et al., 2016). Thus, it is essential that these conflicts are
properly handled in order to ensure harmony within the work environment.
In order to adequately and productively deal with these conflicts, it is essential to
adopt some problem solving strategies. These strategies would not only aid to mitigate any
intra-professional conflicts but also any problems that arise with the patient as well. In order
to handle these conflicts in an effective manner, the nurses in addition to all of the members
in the healthcare team need to collaborate while dividing their responsibilities evenly. It has
to be acknowledged that the conflict management style that is adopted by each
individual is not only influenced by an individual’s temperament. Rather, these strategies
are purely situational. Thus, an individual needs to apply those strategies that would best fit
the situation at hand. One of the best approaches to deal with conflict effectively is to
work on one’s communication skills (Riley, 2015). The capability to eloquently express
ideas and convey their message without any misunderstanding is one of the greatest assets
that a nurse can exhibit. It is widely accepted that if a problem is properly stated, then it is
considered to be half solved (Arnold & Boggs, 2019). Moreover, it is also extremely
necessary to avoid any kind of ‘troublemakers’ at all costs. These negative individuals
possess a tendency to complicate any situations that may be solved with communication and
hence it is better to avoid them. Another aspect of clear communication is to understand and
fully gather knowledge about a case before arriving at any concrete decisions. It is extremely
crucial to understand when to walk away from a situation and when to mediate conflict.
Moreover, before reacting negatively to any hurtful or upsetting comments, it is vital to