How Conflict in the Workplace Can Affect Quality of Patient Care, Essay Example

“Communication breakdown and conflict in workplace interaction not only affects the work environment, but its continued unresolved existence contributes to systemic problems that may ultimately compromise patient care” (Current Communication Environment in Canadian Hospitals).  This also holds true in the United States, as well as in most other countries.

I have seen—and in some cases been part of  miscommunications that have occurred for no other reasons than  language barriers.  When it is virtually imperative that the patient understand what is being said, but due to a poor command of the English language (s)he cannot fully understand the instructions given to him or her,  today’s busy hospital nurses and doctors lack the time—and in some cases even the necessary skills—to find ways to explain a situation so that the patient understands.  One such a solution is to find a nurse who speaks the same language of the patient.  If called often enough, this busy nurse, who already feels that (s)he has been assigned more patients than have her colleagues, begins to resent the imposition and the nurses who keep imposing upon him or her; and friction occurs between the nurses, with the possibility of the care of the patient being compromised.

Although medical staff pull together  well in emergency and intricate surgical situations, everyone is aware of the hierarchy and for various reasons resents some of the people in a higher position, especially if they are seen to not be making the best choices, of over delegating, and of displaying a superior attitude.  I have seen such scenarios many times and the patient is neglected due to the ongoing infighting. Staff personality clashes are also not uncommon and create havoc.

References

Slideshare. Current communication environment in Canadian hospitals. Retrieved on August 15, 2012, from http://www.slideshare.net/lyncadence/resolving-conflict-improving-comm.