After reading Chapter 21, Conflict, Workplace Violence, and Negotiation, describe a scenario that details a conflict you have experienced or witnessed between coworkers. After presenting your scenario, provide a discussion on the following concepts.
1. Identify how the conflict impacted your ability to preserve your relationship(s) with the individuals involved.
2. Describe how you recognized and managed the source of the conflict.
3. Identify how you recognized and responded to the conflict.
4. Discuss how you can best resolve conflicts with difficult people
5. Analyze the most effective communication skills needed to resolve conflict.
Sample Answer
In the high-pressure environment of healthcare, conflict often arises at the intersection of clinical urgency and professional ego. Based on the principles in Chapter 21, here is a scenario and analysis of a common workplace conflict.
The Scenario: The "Stat" Order Disconnect
During a busy night shift on a medical-surgical unit, a senior nurse (Nurse A) was tasked with training a new graduate nurse (Nurse B). A physician entered a "Stat" order for a bolus of IV fluids for a patient whose blood pressure was trending down. Nurse B was currently assisting another patient with a bedbath. Nurse A approached the doorway and loudly demanded that Nurse B "drop what they were doing and act like a real nurse" to get the fluids started. Nurse B felt publicly humiliated and defensive, leading to a heated exchange in the hallway while the patient’s needs remained unmet.
mpact on Relationship Preservation
The conflict severely strained the trust and psychological safety between the mentor and the mentee. By using public shaming rather than private coaching, Nurse A damaged the "Relational Power" required for a healthy preceptorship. For Nurse B, the relationship moved from one of mentorship to one of avoidance, where they no longer felt comfortable asking questions for fear of further verbal aggression.