Assisting with conflicts

We all have our own interests, opinions, and beliefs, so it is possible to find ourselves occasionally disagreeing with other people. Sometimes, these disagreements can lead to conflict.

Conflict is a clash that can result from differences in the interests, ideas, or viewpoints among people. Conflict can arise when one person can’t understand or accept another person’s opinions or beliefs, when someone misunderstands the words or actions of another person, or when one person’s wants or needs contend with another’s.

Regardless of the source, conflict can be common in the workplace. Conflict is especially common in the healthcare setting because emotions often run high.

Clients are sick and often in pain and afraid, their family members may feel helpless or upset, and healthcare team members often feel stressed or overwhelmed by their demanding work.

Conflicts can arise due to a host of possible reasons, including but not limited to work schedules, delegated tasks, amount of work, or quality of care.

Conflicts can be between two healthcare team members, a healthcare team member and a client, a healthcare team member and a client’s family member, or even two clients.

Regardless of the reason or the people involved, conflict is uncomfortable for everyone: It can make for an uneasy workplace, compromise the quality of client care, and have a negative impact on the safety and well-being of clients. So, it must be prevented as much as possible.

Now, if you find yourself in a conflict, be sure to behave professionally and calmly take the appropriate steps to resolve the conflict quickly and effectively.

First, remember it's important to do your best to prevent conflict from happening in the first place. Practicing good communication with your co-workers and adhering to professional standards of conduct can go a long way in preventing conflict.

When conflict does happen, try to resolve any conflict as soon as possible to keep the conflict from growing into an even bigger problem.