In nursing practice, conflicts are likely to arise from fundamental disparities in power and knowledge. Regardless of the efforts to make medicine less paternalistic, there is a general perception that physicians are in charge of directing nurses and patients on what they should do. In addition, conflict among nurses has been seen to endanger patient safety and compromises the quality of patient care (Chan, J. et al. 2014, p.935). In the given scenario where the medical assistant (MA) fails to notify me about low blood pressure in a patient’s chart following a heated argument between the MA and another staff, I would collaborate with the MA because the two sets are important too important to be compromised. I would encourage a lot of cooperation and assertiveness to bring understanding between the conflicting staff. Solving the misunderstanding among staff professionals will help solve errors such as the one in the given scenario.
Actions to redirect the flow away arguments and back to patient care
There are various interpersonal strategies for solving interdisciplinary conflict. As a healthcare professional working in this facility, I would examine the cause of the conflict and look for a good way to solve the conflict without compromising the delivery of patient care. I would remain nonjudgmental when solving the conflict whereby I would take all pertinent factors into consideration. When I would clearly identify the conflicting needs, I will examine them in an environment of compassionate understanding. Examining the sources of conflict opens a pathway to improved relationships and problem-solving (Moore, 2014). I would also emphasize the effects of interdisciplinary disputes on patient care. These attempts will facilitate redirecting the flow away from arguments and back to patient care. With the other heated arguments which have been witnessed within the hospital, I would identify the precise source of these conflicts by examining the events that lead to these arguments and would encourage the parties to solve their dispute amicably and if need be to involve a mediator.
References
Chan, J. C., Sit, E. N., & Lau, W. M. (2014). Conflict management styles, emotional intelligence and implicit theories of personality of nursing students: A cross-sectional study. Nurse education today, 34(6), 934-939.
Moore, C. W. (2014). The mediation process: Practical strategies for resolving conflict. John Wiley & Sons.
