Assisting with conflicts

Definitions & Key takeaways

Conflicts refer to clashes that can occur as a result of different interests, ideas, or viewpoints among people. There are a few things to keep in mind when assisting with conflicts:

Be sure to stay calm and avoid escalating the situation. Listen attentively and be respectful of both parties involved. Try to find common ground and see if there is a way to compromise. If necessary, provide impartial guidance or mediation.

Always remember that it is often best to let the parties resolve the conflict on their own whenever possible.

Chapters:

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Intro0:00–0:46

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.

Causes of Conflict in Healthcare Settings0:46–1:39

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.

Resolving Conflict1:39–3:23

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.Let's say you ask one of your co-workers for help with a client, and it seems like whenever you ask them, they say they are busy.
You feel frustrated, but you know you need to resolve the conflict so that you can continue to work together as a team. A good first step is to politely and professionally ask the person you have a conflict with to speak privately with you.
During your conversation with them, focus on the root issue that resulted in conflict rather than your own opinion. Be sure to be specific about what bothered you and why and do so in a way that shows you assume responsibility for your emotions, rather than blaming them.
Then, allow them to share their side of the story, and do your best to remain open-minded about their perspective. Afterwards, thank the person for meeting with you, have the grace to apologize for any misunderstandings, and discuss how best to avoid similar conflicts in the future.
If you are able to reach some common ground and solve the problem, great! If not, it might be best to agree to disagree and respectfully move on.Or, if you are unable to resolve a conflict by communicating privately with the person, reach out to your supervisor for advice on how to proceed.Alright, as a quick recap… Conflict is a clash that results from differences in interests, ideas, or viewpoints.

Recap3:23–4:09

Conflict is common in the workplace, especially in the healthcare setting, where there are a variety of people and emotions are often running high.
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.
Ideally, you want to prevent any conflict. Practicing good communication skills and adhering to professional standards can help avoid conflict from occurring.
However, if you find yourself in a conflict, try speaking privately to the other person and do your best to politely and professionally resolve the conflict.
If you are unable to do so,