Leadership and Conflict Management in Nursing - Essay Example

"Leadership and Conflict Management in Nursing" is an engrossing example of a paper on care.
The nursing profession is about collaborative relationships among nurses, and between nurses and clients. Conflicts arise when two or more parties in these relationships hold a different perception of a given situation that may compromise the two-way relationships. Every so often, conflicts are discernibly negative. Even so, there is a positive outcome of the conflict, in that the experience of dealing with conflict occasionally affects nurses positively. Personal growth is achieved, which translates to the growth of the organization because of the effective management of conflict, and in consequence, ameliorated healthcare provision. Abuse and violence escalate if the nurses fail to manage conflict effectively when it occurs.

Given this, nurses need awareness of the various ways in which conflict can arise. They must be prepared in either preventing or managing it in the course of their duties (College of Nurses of Ontario, 2009). Practically, the responsibility of raising awareness amongst the nurses lies on the nurse leaders. Nurse leaders cannot teach what they do not know. They require conflict management skills before carrying out the same on their subjects (Mary, 2012). Evidently, there is a strong link between leadership and conflict management.

Nurses spend a great deal of their time dealing with conflict. According to the American Sentinel University (2011), nurses spend forty percent of their time on conflict resolution. It is recommendable that those nurses who address conflict in an adept and productive manner receive promotion into leadership positions (American Sentinel University, 2011). This stretches the conflict management skills to the other nurses by having nurse leaders who are brilliant in conflict management.  Additionally, the College of Nurses of Ontario (2009) endorses these assertions by maintaining that those nurses who show efficiency in managing conflict command respect from their clients and colleagues. By earning respect from the other nurses, they can execute the leadership positions effectively since the other nurses will emulate them in conflict management. Healthcare organizations need to promote nurses who show credibility in dealing with conflict since this is the requisite property for an effective leader.

Everybody in the nursing profession has the ability to demonstrate leadership in the profession. All the same, the nurses gave the power of formal leadership in healthcare organizations have a key role in conflict resolution because they are the ones who make decisions. The nurse leaders have the responsibility of supporting the rest of the nursing fraternity in effective conflict management. This is possible by instituting systems that enhance conflict-management skills development. The nurse leaders can empower other nurses to resolve conflict with colleagues and urge them to make conflict resolution a priority. Promoting behaviors that preclude the possibility of conflict escalation aids in making nurses comprehend the value and importance of managing conflict (College of Nurses of Ontario, 2009). This means that those in leadership positions, in spite of not being appointed because of their conflict management skills, ought to learn the skills for them to conduct their leadership roles effectively.

Before appointment into leadership, nurse leaders need to reveal conflict management skills. Watson (2010) affirms that conflict resolution is one of the major components of nursing leadership, as it is the traditional requirement for general leadership. This is the case because the nurse leader needs to act as a role model for other nurses. Mary (2012) endorses these sentiments by affirming that nurse leaders ought to evaluate how nurses manage conflicts in their bid to establish and enact conflict resolution processes and training that can help nurses in dealing with complex situations. Solid leadership is essential in conflict management to promote a favorable environment.