NU 530 Unit 5 Discussion – Conflict

Question 1:

Before this job, I was a unit-based instructor for a general medical unit. I was responsible for ensuring that all of my coworkers were certified in ACLS, BLS, and PALS. The BLS card of an experienced RN had expired while she was being onboarded. During her orientation, she had 8 weeks to complete the online learning and qualify for the hands-on section before she was allowed to work with patients on her own for the first time. A current BLS certification is expected and needed by the policy. Because I was filling in for another unit-based educator at the time of her onboarding, I provided her "assigned" an educator with the information and her manager with the same information. When this nurse was brought to my unit about three months later, I double-checked that she had finished her BLS certification. She hadn't finished the hands-on phase when I went to check on her. I went to my boss, her manager, and her educator at that point. So, the matter went through the ranks, and she was ordered to finish the hands-on component of her training or be taken off the schedule until another nurse finished it. Her instructor and manager were upset by the situation. They were not pleased that I brought it up the chain of command; nonetheless, I believed that it posed a serious safety risk to my unit and the patients she was assigned. "I should have presented it to them rather than going 'beyond their heads,'" they said.

Question 2:

There was no negotiating at all, in my opinion. Patient safety and her job description necessitated it. In my judgment, there was no political activity at all. It was as it was, so I approached it. I contacted the managers of both units, her educator, and the organization's leadership since she was on my unit, which I am in charge of. The nurse, instructor, and manager all threw the ball away. A competent leader should foster negotiations and compromise; when team members are involved in the disagreement, they should be encouraged to take responsibility for the situation (McKibben, 2017).

Question 3:

Everything worked out in the end, in my opinion. Leaders agreed that it was unacceptable that she didn't meet her deadline and that it was a patient safety problem, and they supported my unit's position.

Question 4:

It was handled well by having her patients covered and finishing it that day. She was done after about an hour, so it didn't take her much time. Even more importantly, she didn't lose her place on the timetable since she could finish it. When handled pragmatically, effective dispute resolution and conflict management may be helpful. However, this relies on open and honest communication, attentive listening, and an awareness of where the disagreements seem to be centered (McKibben, 2017).

Question 5:

Absolutely! Leaders in the field of nursing must recognize and handle conflict constructively, according to McKibben, 2017. There must be a clear understanding of how and why conflict occurs before it can be effectively managed. Unit-based educators and supervisors were expected to ensure that all the necessary certificates, training, etc., were completed before a new employee was taken off orientation. The recruit, supervisors, instructors, and the whole leadership team are held to account. Support and integration of new staff members into an already established healthcare team is critical to fostering mutual respect and healthy working relationships to enhance patient care (McKibben, 2017).

Reference

McKibben, L. (2017). Conflict management: importance and implications. British Journal of Nursing, 26(2), 100–103. https://doi.org/10.12968/bjon.2017.26.2.100