Chapter 13 - Conflict Management

The medical residents on a particular unit do not answer pages very quickly, and sometimes do not answer them at all. The nursing staff complains to the nursing supervisor. After several weeks, this conflict has spiraled into a heated disagreement. Which is the most important reason to make the necessary changes to settle this conflict? 1. Client care and satisfaction will suffer should it be allowed to continue. 2. The residents cannot be allowed to continue such unprofessional behavior. 3. Residents who do not answer pages do not get the most out of the experience. 4. Physicians do not know what is going on with clients if the residents do not tell them

1. Client care and satisfaction will suffer should it be allowed to continue

A nurse manager states, "I cannot stand all these conflicts in my department. Nothing good can come out of it." Which indicates the best reason the manager's statement is untrue? 1. Conflict can stimulate more people to become involved in a situation, thus creating more innovative solutions to the issue. 2. When people are in conflict, they tend to work harder just to avoid the conflicting situation. 3. Groups in conflict spur competition, which is always beneficial to the units from which the groups emerged. 4. When there is conflict in an organization, people are more open to discussion, thus conflict can open the lines of communication.

1. Conflict can stimulate more people to become involved in a situation, thus creating more innovative solutions to the issue

The nurse manager assesses that two staff nurses are engaged in a conflict that is having a negative impact on client care. The manager meets with the nurses involved and identifies the conflict. An attempt is made to resolve the conflict through knowledge and reason. What strategy is this manager using? 1. Confrontation 2. Resolution 3. Negotiation 4. Forcing

1. Confrontation

The day shift nurses and night shift nurses are in clear opposition regarding the responsibilities that each shift should be assigned. This opposition has created a "we-they" distinction on the unit. This is an example of which phenomenon? 1. Distancing 2. Suppression 3. Group withdrawal 4. Unification

1. Distancing

Which is the most important factor in whether a conflict will be perceived or felt between two nurses? 1. How well the nurses know and trust each other 2. If the nurses are on the same job level 3. The congruence of the nurse's values and beliefs 4. Whether or not the nurses perform the same roles

1. How well the nurses know and trust each other

The nurse manager asks the staff nurse to work a double shift because the census is high. Although the nurse realizes the staffing for the night shift is low, the nurse has already made a family commitment for the same night. This is an example of which concept? 1. Intrapersonal conflict 2. Interpersonal conflict 3. Intragroup conflict 4. Intergroup conflict

1. Intrapersonal conflict

The staff nurses and nursing administration are attempting to construct a method of scheduling that meets the needs of both the clients and the nursing personnel. Because nurses and nursing administration have experienced conflict about the issue, their intent is to arrive at an agreeable solution between both parties. Which option does this process best exemplify? 1. Negotiation 2. Accommodation 3. Forcing 4. Consensus

1. Negotiation

A new triage area has been built in the emergency department causing conflict between the nurse manager and the nurses who think the design is not "user friendly." After repeated complaints the nurse manager asks maintenance to change the arrangement of the room. What is the most important reason this change occurred? 1. The complaints motivated the nurse manager to make the change to increase unit effectiveness. 2. The room design was uncomfortable for the nurses, which convinced the nurse manager to change the design. 3. The nurse manager was afraid the nurses would refuse to work in the room so the room had to be changed. 4. The nurses would keep complaining so the nurse manager changed the room to stop the griping.

1. The complaints motivated the nurse manager to make the change to increase unit effectiveness

The hospital has an annual campaign in which the staff is divided into two teams to raise money for hospital special events. The team raising the most money gets possession of a "trophy" designed by the administrative staff. This is an example of which type of conflict? 1. A conflict that is disruptive to the work of the hospital 2. A competitive conflict that is positive to the work environment 3. An intragroup conflict that is not appropriate in health care 4. A felt conflict that will result in unresolved feelings of frustration

2. A competitive conflict that is positive to the work environment

A difference in opinion has arisen regarding methods to care for clients who are on mechanical ventilators. The nurse manager asks a group of nurses to meet and review evidence-based practice related to this client care situation. Each nurse volunteers to gather data prior to the next meeting. This is an example of which type of problem solving? 1. Negotiation 2. Collaboration 3. Compromise 4. Forcing

2. Collaboration

The nurse manager meets with the staff nurses to discuss ways to improve communication among the shifts. Which statement by the nurse manager best exemplifies the final stage of conflict management? 1. "We need to clearly define the nature of the conflict." 2. "I will evaluate the outcomes of our strategies on a monthly basis." 3. "Let's create a time line for the implementation of our strategies." 4. "Hopefully, each group can understand each other's perceptions of the issue."

2. I will evaluate the outcomes of our strategies on a monthly basis

A conflict has arisen between two staff nurses who work on the same unit. Which strategy is most important for the nurse manager to consider? 1. Address the conflict in the break room. 2. Make a timely decision regarding if and when to intervene. 3. Accept full responsibility for developing a solution. 4. Redirect expressions of disagreement between the participants.

2. Make a timely decision regarding if and when to intervene

The nurse manager assesses that there is conflict between two of the charge nurses. The decision is made to postpone an intervention and allow the conflict to escalate. Why might the nurse manager make this decision? 1. Allow sufficient time for the problem to spontaneously resolve. 2. Motivate the participants to seek resolution. 3. Give the nurse manager time to identify problem-solving strategies. 4. Relieve the nurse manager of the time commitment necessary to intervene.

2. Motivate the participants to seek resolution

A nurse manager and a staff nurse are in conflict. The nursing supervisor has decided to use mediation to arrive at a solution. The supervisor should be most concerned about which person's level of comfort when choosing a place for the mediation meeting? 1. The manager 2. The staff nurse 3. The supervisor 4. There should be equal concern for all participants.

2. The staff nurse

A nurse has a longstanding conflict with another nurse working the same shift. Over the last few days the first nurse has made an effort to smooth over the conflict. Which statement would the nurse manager evaluate as an example of a "smoothing" comment? 1. "We are never going to agree because I am from Generation X and you are a baby boomer." 2. "I'm tired of this fight and I'm not going to argue with you anymore." 3. "Even though we don't agree on much, I do think you are correct about enforcing the length of lunch breaks." 4. "I think everything is fine and that we can get along."

3. Even though we don't agree on much, I do think you are correct about enforcing the length of lunch breaks

A nurse manager is trying to manage a conflict between a staff nurse and a medical student. Which statement by the manager would the nursing supervisor interpret as following the rules of basic mediation? 1. "Both parties need to grow up. They are so immature." 2. "The problem is partially the fault of both parties." 3. "I stopped the conversation frequently to have the parties summarize what was being said." 4. "They just went on and on. I had to stop the discussion because I was out of time."

3. I stopped the conversation frequently to have the parties summarize what was being said

Which statement by the nurse managing a unit conflict indicates that the integrative decision-making strategy is being used? 1. "I've heard all I need to hear. I'll have a decision tomorrow." 2. "Once you have signed this informed consent, the issue will go to mediation." 3. "This will all blow over if everyone just tries to get along better." 4. "Both parties should come up with as many alternative solutions as possible before our next meeting."

4. Both parties should come up with as many alternative solutions as possible before our next meeting

The nurse manager presents an issue to the nursing staff for a decision. The group assesses the problem, and a decision is made meeting the needs of both the nurse manager and the nursing staff. This is an example of which conflict management strategy? 1. Integrative decision making 2. Win-lose strategy 3. Accommodation 4. Consensus

4. Consensus

The nurse and a client are discussing instructions for self-care after discharge. The client's husband says, "I can't take care of her by myself. We need home health like we had before she came to the hospital." This statement reflects which antecedent condition? 1. Task interdependence 2. Resource competition 3. Structural conflict 4. Differences in values and beliefs

4. Differences in values and beliefs

A staff nurse has experienced disagreements with one of the medical residents about several issues. The resident reacts to this conflict by belittling the nurse in front of colleagues. This behavior is most characteristic of which type of conflict? 1. Competitive 2. Role 3. Perceived 4. Disruptive

4. Disruptive

The nursing staff is continually upset about inability to provide clients with supplies needed because third-party payers will not reimburse for those items. This is an example of which conflict antecedent? 1. Task interdependencies 2. Distancing 3. Role 4. Incompatible goals

4. Incompatible goals

In order to come to a solution for an ongoing conflict among several nursing units, the nursing supervisor says, "Your managers will meet to create a voting form representing both sides of this issue. Each of you will vote and the majority will rule." What kind of a solution is the supervisor seeking? 1. Consensus 2. Win-win 3. Forcing 4. Win-lose

4. Win-lose