Conflict management: challenges experienced by nurse-leaders in the hospital environment

Abstract

This study aimed to understand the main conflicts experienced by nurses-leaders in the hospital environment, as well as the strategies adopted to face them.The study reflects a qualitative descriptive type approach, which was used in the case study as research strategy. The study included 25 nurses who worked in three hospitals in the city of Florianopolis, Santa Catarina. Information where obtained in the months of May to December of 2010 through semi-structured interviews, non-participant observation and dialogical workshops. Data were analyzed using the Thematic Analysis. The results demonstrated the predominant of interpersonal conflicts involving the multidisciplinary team, nurses and the nursing staff Adopting a participatory leadership, based on dialogue emerges as a strategy for coping with conflicts in the hospital environment.

Leadership in nursing: from teaching to practice in a hospital environment

“…1 In the international scenario, leadership represents an indispensable skill in nursing exercise; this skill impacts the quality of institutions on its organizational culture and labor relations. [2][3][4][5][6] In this sense, it is important to emphasize the nurse's role in the management of health care, people and health services.…”

Atribuições e competências de gerentes de enfermagem: pesquisa descritiva exploratória

“…Conflicts from interpersonal relationships predominate in hospitals and are experienced by different professional categories and among the nursing professionals themselves, which directly interferes with the progress of work, performance and motivation. Conflict can generate dissatisfaction in the team, suggesting there is disorganization whether from the same category or not (17) . Strategies used by nursing managers to mediate conflicts in the scope of their work include; team participation in decision making, demonstration of resilience in coping with conflicts, talking to the team, being impartial and giving priority to the quality of service, having a professional attitude, and handling situations individually (16) .…”

“…The exercise of leadership is vital in any context, but especially in the teaching hospital, where the diversity of interests and actors can hinder the role of the leader. Promoting transformations in work through the conciliation between the goals of the organization and the priorities of the nursing team with a view to the quality of care provided to the user (17) , is the activity of the nursing manager. Thus, it is essential to create strategies that develop the nurse manager in their search for leadership knowledge, as well as expanding specific management training (18) .…”

Contribuições freirianas para entender o exercício da liderança dialógica dos enfermeiros no ambiente hospitalar

“…Turnover was found to contribute to the appearance of conflicts since the constant relocation of workers impairs the formation of professional bonds, teamwork anchored in union, and the establishment of clear and common goals (3) . In the statements of this study, some of the nurses mentioned they had difficulty in imposing limits in certain situations involving team members.…”

“…Leadership is characterised as the leader's capacity to coordinate a group and encourage the team to reach collective goals, with the main objective of satisfying the needs of patients and their family members (1)(2)(3) . The role of leader nurses essentially guarantees the quality of the provided care and the performance of nursing teams.…”