INTRODUCTION

Conflict can be defined as a state of discord between groups or individuals resulting from a perceived or actual opposition of interests, values or needs. In light of this, different theories related to conflict and change can help in better understanding conflict. The most widely used change theory is Kurt Lewin’s, which involves the unfreezing stage, moving stage and the refreezing stage. This theory is dependent on the presence of resistant and driving forces. Roger’s change theory is derived from Lewin’s and is effective in change projects in the long-term. Conflict theory entails the negative societal aspects. Contemporary theory states that conflicts are the result of people advancing their personal interests, are beneficial and are to be expected. This quality custom essays  discusses conflict at the individual, team and organizational levels and further examines the role of leaders as change agents with regards to conflict resolution within a healthcare environment.

DISCUSSION

Social conflict theory entails the advancement of one’s desires at the expense of others’. Individual level conflict arises whenever one’s motives or drives are blocked or when confronted with competing roles or goals that make it difficult to make effective decisions. It can lead to interpersonal conflict as an employee gets overwhelmed while interacting with other employees. Noticeable differences, such as verbal attacks between nursing staff can thus occur and can carry adverse consequences, especially when patients witness the conflict.

Team conflicts can be divided into intra-group and inter-group conflicts. Intra-group conflict involves the members of a common group, where differences between the members are observed and may be caused by a variety of reasons such as differences in ideas. Inter-group or organizational conflict may be between different departments or teams, caused by poor management or leadership styles, inadequate staffing, disagreements among staff members or limited resources. Constant conflict in a healthcare setting results to poor patient outcomes due to stress buildup. They may also be the result of disagreements between different organizations.

Conflict can lead to in better decision making, productivity, communication and cooperation. However, this requires effective conflict resolution strategies where the problems are identified and effectively addressed. As such, a change agent, such as a nurse leader, can bring positive change to the healthcare environment. An effective leader makes use of communication to resolve conflicts and establish order. Because most people dislike tackling issues directly for fear or making it worse, they tend to take a passive approach to managing conflict. The change agent must thus have the confidence to identify and tackle the problem by talking to the people involved.

Conflict handling is part of a leader’s responsibility. Apart from inspiring and motivating, a leader’s value also depends on their ability to mediate and de-escalate conflict. Unresolved conflict can result in low productivity, wasted resources, stress, gossip, violent outbursts, avoidance and implies poor leadership. Suffice to say, good leadership in a healthcare environment entails enforcing respectful communication and relationships. As such, it is crucial that a leader exhibits the ability to manage conflict, since conflict can only escalate and further erode relationships if not handled effectively.

CONCLUSION

Conflict in a healthcare environment is often brought about by ideological differences. As such, Kurt Lewin’s and Roger’s change theories can be applied in conflict situations to better understand the origins and the most effective ways of resolving them. The resolution of conflicts is crucial to allow the efficient delivery of services. A leader in a healthcare facility should thus serve as a change agent and be able to tackle arising issues at the individual, team and organizational level. Failure to take appropriate action can escalate the issues at hand and lead to further complications. It can also reflect bad leadership which can prevent patient satisfaction. For this reason, leaders should acquire the appropriate conflict handling skills to make effective changes.