Conflict Reflection
Reflect on a conflict situation that occurred recently or in the past. This may be something that you have been thinking about over a few days, weeks, or months that you would like to have a greater depth of understanding. There are no right or wrong answers and no one method of resolving conflict that works in every situation. This tool was designed based on the reflective practice work of Johns (2009). In addition, you can use techniques you learned from the Interest Based Relational Approach from your learning material.
A few months ago, this writer’s patient was visited by an individual who claimed to be her outpatient social worker. This individual came up to the nursing station requesting a written first and last name of her psychiatrist and social worker. He was told that we could only give out their first names and phone number of the social worker to talk to them during workdays. He started threatening to sue the writer, saying that the writer violated patient human rights. Therefore he will be reporting us.
This writer called the Nurse supervisor, who came right away, to speak to him. When the supervisor approached the patient’s visit, he became extremely abusive toward the nurse supervisor, and he also said this place needs to be shut down. After this individual left, the patient became extremely abusive toward the writer and started calling the writer different names, rioting the unit, and telling other patients to join forces with him to get the place shut down. They spend most of their time calling 911, making threats.
This writer felt unsafe. The next day at the charge nurses, supervisors, and leadership meeting, the unit manager was upset that we could have just given him the first and last name.
This writer stepped in told her that it violates the hospital policy. After that incident, she became passive-aggressive towards the writer; this has created conflict and tension throughout the workplace, affecting this writer’s work morale. This writer requested an audience with the nurse manager. During the meeting, she was defensive, argumentative, and out of control. The writer remained calm and courteous, forcing the manager to become calm and more realistic.
● What is the conflict issue? Passive aggressive behavior
● Who is affected? The writer
● How are they affected? The team
● In what sphere of influence is the conflict occurring?
o Nursing
o Healthcare system
● What method of conflict resolution was selected or will be selected?
The Interest-Based Relational Approach
● What factors influenced my approach?
The manager was entrenched in her positions and her body language to become defensive.
● Was the approach successful? Yes we were able to preserve good relationship
● What outcomes did I see manifested? The manager became apologetic and understandable of what occurred during that shift. Initially she thought we unwilling denies the visitor access and also we have allow the unit to become acute.
● Are other actions from this situation needed? No we are able to communicate well
References
Johns, C. (2009). Becoming a Reflective Practitioner (3rd ed.). Oxford, England:
Wiley-Blackwell.