Conflict Resolution: A Satisfactory Solution between Nurses and Physicians

Conflict Resolution: Satisfactory Solution Mediation The relationship between nurses and physicians should be conflict-free to achieve the projected healthcare goals. Unfortunately, interactions between these professionals are typified by misunderstandings and conflicts. The threat posed by physician-nurse conflicts to the patients and workforce safety and health outcomes creates the need to implement effective conflict resolution modalities. Mediation is one of the best strategies to resolve these problems and create healthy work environments. Using mediation to resolve conflicts has gained strength in most industries over the years. This intervention is slowly gaining acceptance in healthcare settings as a conflict management tactic. Mediation is a tool that healthcare governing bodies can approve and leadership teams could implement to manage conflicts and other disruptive behaviors.

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Literature supports using mediation in conflict management in healthcare settings.

Redfern (2018) noted that despite being a simple process, mediation significantly affects dispute outcomes. It ensures that parties with divergent views are brought to the same table to discuss their grievances and develop lasting solutions. Triana and Sulistyorini (2021) clarified that in mediation processes, both parties are allowed to share their concerns with minimal interruptions.

The mediator summarizes the information provided by the parties and develops a problem statement. The essence of mediation is to allow the parties to comprehensively analyze the current problem to identify causes and potential solutions.

Notably, the difficulty in providing critical care services complicates conflict resolution between physicians and nurses. Developing collaborative relationships between these parties helps manage this complexity. Success in mediation depends on the competence of the mediator.

Mediators possess the skills necessary to promote effective communication and balance the interests of the parties. The mediator can utilize different mediation tactics to reframe and define the problem besides facilitating agreements to foster working relationships.

Facilitative mediation This mediation process involves creating a structured process to help the parties reach a mutually agreeable resolution. The mediator is actively engaged in the process by asking questions and validating the disputants’ points of view on a certain issue (Collins, Demeter & Douglas, 2021). The mediator does not recommend interventions to the current crisis but rather allows the parties to evaluate their interests and positions, eventually finding and analyzing potential solutions. This approach, as pointed out by Huber (2017), implies that though the mediator is in charge of the process, they are not in charge of the outcomes. In nurse-physician conflicts, facilitative mediation creates the base for developing solutions based on information

and understanding. Triana and Sulistyorini (2021) noted that facilitative mediation is beneficial in resolving physician-nurse conflicts since there is no losing or winning party in the process.

Unlike legal processes that are time-consuming, dense, expensive, and less responsive, Triana and Sulistyorini (2021) argued that mediation helps address the presented needs and interests of the parties. The process is fair since disputants are given time to express their feelings.

Evaluative mediation Evaluative mediation is pegged on settlement conferences held by judges. Evaluative mediators help the parties to reach an agreement by highlighting the weaknesses of the case and predicting the judge’s stance in a similar situation. The mediator influences the outcomes by structuring the process and guiding the parties on specific resolutions (Collins, Demeter & Douglas, 2021). The mediator makes recommendations to the parties regarding the best interventions to achieve preferred outcomes. The mediator explores the legal rights of the parties rather than individual needs and interests. The conflict is evaluated in line with legal concepts of fairness.

Transformative This mediation style applies the principles of empowerment of the parties and recognition of each party’s values, opinions, needs, and interests to resolve conflicts (Huber, 2017).

Empowerment entails allowing the parties to express the pressing issues and seek solutions in their ways. Transformative mediation focuses on transforming the parties or their relationships to achieve the targeted outcomes. In this mediation style, the mediator meets with the parties giving them a chance to highlight their issues, thus enhancing recognition (Collins, Demeter & Douglas,

2021). The mediator supports the parties to determine the direction of the process and the outcomes.

Importance of Mediation Mediation is an appropriate approach to resolve the physician-nurse conflict because it eliminates the emotional toll of litigation processes. It creates a platform where nurses and physicians can express their opinions and emotions and be heard by the mediator and the other party. Amudha, Hamidah, Annamma, and Ananth (2018) noted that most nurse-physician conflicts are associated with poor communication. Mediation gives both parties a chance to talk, express their views and identify the best ways to resolve conflicts.

Triana and Sulistyorini (2021) pointed out that mediation is useful when the relationship between nurses and physicians is strained and direct communication is unachievable.

Importantly, as pointed out by Ebrahim (2020), mediation leads to finality since the agreement is binding for the parties. A decision made in mediation is fair since both parties are given equal chances to express themselves. It is easier for the parties to get closure and move on. For instance, as pointed out by Sabone et al. (2020), mediation enables nurses to return their focus and energy to providing medical care to patients. Importantly, physicians and nurses get a chance to control their destiny rather than leave it in the hands of other professionals.

Mediation enables the parties to get desirable solutions without destroying the relationship between them. As denoted by Triana and Sulistyorini (2021), this strategy achieves closure for over 90% of the conflicts. The parties do not need to seek further justice through litigation. The satisfaction rates for this approach ranges between 70% and 90% for the nurses and the physicians. It also upholds the principle of confidentiality which is an inherent element of the nursing code of ethics. The process increases the parties’ confidence since the information

disclosed stays between them and the mediator. Mediation is a cost-effective approach to dispute resolution. The parties control everything in the process with the mediators’ guidance. It thus eliminates to use of financial resources to seek justice in a court of law.

References Redfern, Q. C. (2018). Health Care Disputes: Why Mediation is the Best Medicine. Journal of Medical Law and Ethics, 6(1), 19-29. http://dx.doi.org/10.7590/221354018X15446248389226 Triana, W. Y., & Sulistyorini, S. (2021). The Effectiveness of Mediation as an ADR to Medical Disputes: A Systematic Review. STRADA Jurnal Ilmiah Kesehatan, 10(1), 1051-1056. https://doi.org/10.30994/sjik.v10i1.760 Alabd, A. M., Elsayed, W. A., & Elattar, N. F. M. (2018). Effect of work stressors coping strategies program on nurse-physician collaboration. American Journal of Nursing, 6(4), 183-190. http://doi:10.12691/ajnr-6-4-6 Ebrahim, E. K. (2020). Negotiation as a management strategy for conflict resolution and its effect on enhancing collaboration between nurses and physicians. Egyptian Nursing Journal, 17(1), 13. http://www.enj.eg.net/text.asp?2020/17/1/13/300781 Amudha, P., Hamidah, H., Annamma, K., & Ananth, N. (2018). Effective communication between nurses and doctors: Barriers as perceived by nurses. J Nurs Care, 7(03), 1-6. http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2167-1168.1000455 Sabone, M., Mazonde, P., Cainelli, F., Maitshoko, M., Joseph, R., Shayo, J., ... & Ulrich, C. M. (2020). Everyday ethical challenges of nurse-physician collaboration. Nursing Ethics, 27(1), 206-220. http://doi:10.1177/0969733019840753 Collins, P., Demeter, D., & Douglas, S. (2021). Dispute Management. Cambridge University Press.

Huber, D. (2017). Leadership and nursing care management-e-book. Elsevier Health Sciences.