Leadership Strategies in Reducing Staff Nurse Role Conflict

Knowledge, causes, and experience of inter-professional conflict and rivalry among healthcare professionals in Nigeria

Introduction

The healthcare workforce is regarded as an essential component of any functioning health system, and a lack of optimal collaboration among this group can result to poor quality healthcare services to the population. In Nigerian setting, the health sector is faced with challenges of inter-professional conflict and rivalry. This study aimed at understanding knowledge, causes, and experience of inter-professional conflict and rivalry among healthcare professionals in Nigeria.

Methods

A cross sectional study was undertaken to administer questionnaires to healthcare personnel in various healthcare facilities in Nigeria. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences.

Results

A total of 2207 valid responses were received, and male participants were in majority as indicated by 63.7% of the sample. Collectively, doctors and pharmacists represented two-thirds of the sample, and majority of the participants were in the public sector (82.5%). Disparity in salary structure was the highest source of conflict. Whilst almost all the participants indicated that inter-professional rivalry and conflict are prevalent in health sector, about three-quarters of them (73.2%) disagreed that this practice is productive. A considerable number of the respondents had experienced inter-professional conflict and rivalry.

Conclusion

Evidence from this study can help policymakers in developing framework that can be utilised in addressing rivalry and conflict in the healthcare sector.

Interprofessional Rivalry in Nigeria's Health Sector: A Comparison of Doctors and Other Health Workers' Views at a Secondary Care Center

OBJECTIVES

To examine interprofessional rivalry (IPR) between doctors and other health workers and their understanding of its effects.

INTRODUCTION

IPR in Nigeria's health system is a burgeoning issue with apparent adverse effects. The most profound rivalry appears to be between doctors and other health workers.

METHODS

A descriptive cross-sectional study involving 120 health workers (24 doctors and 96 other health workers) at the State Specialist Hospital, Okitipupa, Ondo State, Nigeria. Pertinent data were collected via semistructured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS Version17.0.

DISCUSSION

IPR is perceived to be the leading cause of conflicts among health workers by 70% of respondents. Doctors and other workers had significantly divergent opinions on the leadership of the health team, patient management, establishment positions, and monetary issues as well as on the effects of IPR with more doctors recognizing its hazards. Nearly half of the respondents believe that strikes are justifiable and the most recommended antidote is for the government to attempt to meet group needs.

CONCLUSION

IPR has reached unprecedented levels in Nigeria. However, its adverse effects have not been duly recognized, especially by nondoctors. There is an urgent need for education of health workers on the deleterious effects of IPR.

Home care nurses' experience of job stress and considerations for the work environment

Home care nurses report increased stress in their jobs due to work environment characteristics that impact professional practice. Stressors and characteristics of the professional practice environment that moderate nurses' experience of job stress were examined in this embedded multiple case study. Real life experiences within a complex environment were drawn from interviews and observations with 29 participants across two home care agencies from one eastern U.S. state. Findings suggest that role overload, role conflict, and lack of control can be moderated in agencies where there are meaningful opportunities for shared decision making and the nurse-patient relationship is supported.

Impact and determinants of nurse turnover: a pan-Canadian study

AIM

As part of a large study of nursing turnover in Canadian hospitals, the present study focuses on the impact and key determinants of nurse turnover and implications for management strategies in nursing units.

BACKGROUND

Nursing turnover is an issue of ever-increasing priority as work-related stress and job dissatisfaction are influencing nurses' intention to leave their positions.

METHODS

Data sources included the nurse survey, unit managers, medical records and human resources databases. A broad sample of hospitals was represented with nine different types of nursing units included.

RESULTS

Nurses turnover is a major problem in Canadian hospitals with a mean turnover rate of 19.9%. Higher levels of role ambiguity and role conflict were associated with higher turnover rates. Increased role conflict and higher turnover rates were associated with deteriorated mental health. Higher turnover rates were associated with lower job satisfaction. Higher turnover rate and higher level of role ambiguity were associated with an increased likelihood of medical error.

CONCLUSION

Managing turnover within nursing units is critical to high-quality patient care. A supportive practice setting in which role responsibilities are understood by all members of the caregiver team would promote nurse retention.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

Stable nurse staffing and adequate managerial support are essential to promote job satisfaction and high-quality patient care.

Conflict among Iranian hospital nurses: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

This study aims to explore the experience of conflict as perceived by Iranian hospital nurses in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. Although conflict-control approaches have been extensively researched throughout the world, no research-based data are available on the perception of conflict and effective resolutions among hospital nurses in Iran.

METHODS

A qualitative research approach was used to explore how Iranian hospital nurses perceive and resolve conflicts at work. A purposive sample of 30 hospital nurses and nurse managers was selected to obtain data by means of in-depth semi structured interviews. Data were analysed by means of the content analysis method.

RESULTS

The emerging themes were: (1) the nurses' perceptions and reactions to conflict; (2) organizational structure; (3) hospital management style; (4) the nature and conditions of job assignment; (5) individual characteristics; (6) mutual understanding and interaction; and (7) the consequences of conflict. The first six themes describe the sources of the conflict as well as strategies to manage them.

CONCLUSION

How nurses perceive conflict influences how they react to it. Sources of conflict are embedded in the characteristics of nurses and the nursing system, but at the same time these characteristics can be seen as strategies to resolve conflict. We found mutual understanding and interaction to be the main factor able to prevent and resolve conflict effectively. We therefore recommend that nurses and nurse managers encourage any virtues and activities that increase such understanding and interaction. Finally, as conflict can destroy individual nurses as well as the nursing system, we must act to control it effectively.