NR 447 Week 3 Conflict Resolution Paper

Student Name

Chamberlain University

NR-447: RN Collaborative Healthcare

Prof. Name

Date

Conflict Resolution Paper

Introduction

Conflict is an inevitable aspect of human interaction, occurring in both personal and professional environments. It cannot be entirely avoided, nor should it be ignored. Instead, it must be addressed constructively to prevent escalation. As Grubaugh and Flynn (2018) explain, conflict emerges when individuals or groups experience incompatibility, disagreement, or discord due to differences in goals, values, or perceptions. These disputes often stem from poor communication, unclear delegation of responsibilities, lack of recognition for others’ commitments, and competing priorities.

Each person approaches situations with unique perspectives and personalities, which may lead to misunderstandings. Conflicts often occur when individuals interpret the same situation differently due to variations in their background, information, or priorities. Although conflict is unavoidable, it can be effectively managed through proactive communication, clear role definitions, and mutual respect within the workplace.

The Problem

As a Registered Nurse (RN) working in a rehabilitation hospital, I encounter daily challenges related to staffing shortages and uneven workload distribution. These issues have a direct effect on patient care quality and safety, making them critical to address. In our facility, the nurse-to-patient ratio is often 1:10, with several patients at high risk for falls requiring one-on-one supervision. Nurses are also tasked with admissions, discharges, and other administrative duties in addition to patient care.

The combination of inadequate staffing and heavy workloads creates a stressful environment that contributes to nurse burnout, ultimately leading to reduced quality of care. Management has not taken sufficient steps to improve staffing levels, leaving units to function with limited resources (Welton, 2007). Miscommunication, imbalanced workloads, and persistent staffing shortages often result in frustration among staff, verbal disputes, and even resignations.

Table 1

Staffing Challenges and Their Impact on Care

Challenge	Description	Impact on Care
Short staffing	Insufficient number of nurses for patient load	Reduced patient monitoring and delayed care
High nurse-to-patient ratio	1 nurse for 10 patients, some requiring intensive supervision	Increased risk of errors and safety hazards
Uneven workload distribution	Certain nurses receive more complex cases or additional tasks	Nurse fatigue and decreased job satisfaction
Miscommunication	Incomplete shift handoffs and lack of updates	Missed treatments and inconsistent care
Lack of management intervention	Minimal action to address persistent issues	Prolonged stress and high turnover rates

The Four Stages of Conflict

Latent Stage

In the latent stage, potential sources of conflict exist but may not yet be recognized by staff. For example, differences in responsibilities between day and night shift nurses often lead to misunderstandings. Day shift nurses manage discharges, while night shift nurses may need to take wound photographs before discharge. If these tasks are missed due to heavy workload, conflict seeds are planted. Supervisors may observe these patterns but not intervene promptly.

Perceived Stage

At this stage, staff members become aware of the issue but may not express their concerns openly. A common example is the gap between regular staff and PRN (as-needed) nurses, who may work infrequently and lack updated patient information. This gap leads to inconsistent care and additional burdens for full-time staff, but management may remain unaware unless staff speak up.

Felt Stage

During the felt stage, the conflict begins to cause emotional stress, anxiety, and frustration. Nurses working long shifts without adequate support often feel overwhelmed, which affects both their well-being and their performance. Without open communication, these feelings may escalate, further deteriorating the work environment (Finkelman, 2016).

Manifest Stage

The manifest stage is when the conflict becomes visible through open disagreements, policy violations, or unprofessional behavior. Staff may openly express dissatisfaction, reduce their effort, or provide minimal patient care. At this point, immediate intervention through open dialogue, mediation, and team support is crucial to prevent harm to both patients and staff morale.

Strategy for Dealing with Conflict

Effective communication is the cornerstone of conflict resolution. Structured meetings involving staff, supervisors, and management can create a safe space for discussing concerns and developing solutions. Prior to such meetings, it is essential to research the root causes of conflicts and prepare potential solutions.

NR 447 Week 3 Conflict Resolution Paper

Key strategies include:

• Encouraging teamwork and knowledge sharing
• Promoting cooperative problem-solving rather than blame
• Raising awareness of staffing concerns directly with decision-makers
• Holding face-to-face discussions with the right individuals at the right time (Jerng et al., 2017)

These approaches foster a culture of openness and reduce the likelihood of recurring conflicts.

Delegation

Clear delegation of duties is critical to maintaining order and avoiding misunderstandings. Each team member should understand the chain of command and follow it consistently. However, problems arise when scheduling coordinators or nurse managers assign shifts without proper communication, leading to last-minute changes or extended hours for some nurses.

Flexible scheduling, proactive communication, and a willingness to correct errors can prevent staffing-related disputes. Nurse managers must ensure adequate staffing while prioritizing patient safety and equitable workloads.

Conclusion

Conflict is an inherent part of life, and the healthcare environment is no exception. While it can have both positive and negative outcomes, the difference lies in how it is managed. Open communication, mutual respect, and proactive problem-solving are essential to minimizing negative effects and maintaining a supportive workplace. Ignoring conflict can lead to stress, frustration, and poor patient care, while addressing it constructively strengthens teams and improves outcomes.

References

Chamberlain College of Nursing. (2019). NR-447 Week 3: Effective communication [Online lesson]. Downers Grove, IL: Adtalem.

Finkelman, A. (2016). Leadership and management for nurses: Core competencies for quality care (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Grubaugh, M. L., & Flynn, L. (2018). Relationships among nurse manager leadership skills, conflict management, and unit teamwork. Journal of Nursing Administration, 48(7–8), 383–388. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNA.0000000000000633

NR 447 Week 3 Conflict Resolution Paper

Jerng, J., Huang, S., Liang, H., Chen, L., Lin, C., Huang, H., & Sun, J. (2017). Workplace interpersonal conflicts among the healthcare workers: Retrospective exploration from the institutional incident reporting system of a university-affiliated medical center. PLoS ONE, 12(2), e0171696. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0171696

Welton, J. (2007). Mandatory hospital nurse-to-patient staffing ratios: Time to take a different approach. Retrieved from http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJIN/TableofContents/Volume122007/No3Sept07/MandatoryNursetoPatientRatios.html