Nursing 108

N108: Transition to the Registered Professional Nurse Role Study Guide • Organizational conflict: Conflicts originate within the structure or function of an organization. Typically, the policies, procedures, channels of communication, and style of management generate conflict. The leader’s role and behavior are particularly important to both the origin of the conflict and to the resolution of issues. Role ambiguity and role conflict are major causes of organizational conflict. Conflict frequently occurs due to a lack of good job descriptions and miscommunication regarding what is expected. The structure of an organization may also lead to conflict and conflict can also arise when a scarcity of resources exists, which can be money, supplies, equipment, space, or personnel. Role ambiguity refers to a situation in which the role is not clearly defined. Role conflict occurs when two or more individuals have role descriptions that overlap. There are three types of conflict outcomes to help resolve an issue or manage an issue: • Lose-lose outcome: There are no winners and the resolution of the conflict is unsatisfactory to both parties. • Win-lose outcome: One person obtains desired goals in the situation and the other fails to receive what is desired. • Win-win outcome: Both parties walk away from the conflict feeling that they achieved most of the things that were important to them (most desirable type of outcome). The approach and strategies used to deal with conflict depend on a number of factors including: • Nature of conflict • Individuals who are involved • The ability to influence the outcome • The possibility of retribution and all elements that will affect the situation Approaches used to help resolve and manage conflict: • Withdrawing from or avoiding conflict : The employee chooses not to address the issue at hand. People often deny the existence of conflict. This approach is preferred by those who are uncomfortable with facing conflict and many times when people back away from conflict they are taken advantage of. • Smoothing or accommodating conflict: This involves trying to relieve feelings associated with conflict without solving the underlying problem. Someone apologizes when it is not his or her fault, or agrees with something that one does not truly agree. This approach is used by people with a strong need to be liked or people who are overly concerned with the welfare of others. • Forcing the issue or competing: This means someone is working exclusively for his or her own solution to the problem. These people believe they know more about the issues involved than others, or when have values that will not allow a compromise. Typically, these people are accustomed to being the winner and often fail to consider the needs and opinions of others. • Negotiating or compromising: This involves give and take, where one factor is balanced against another. This approach is seen as collective bargaining where one factor in the

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