The most common and problematic type of
conflict that was experienced in the workplace involved
interpersonal conflicts. The three prime
situations of interpersonal conflicts frequently
identified in the survey included patient and
family, nurse manager, and physician.
Conflict involving nurses and patients/families/visitors was reported to occur as a
result of the disparity in perceptions
regarding which patient-care issue
needed to be addressed first, limiting
visiting hours, and restrictions
surrounding disclosure of confidential
information. The second most
frequent interpersonal conflict was
between the direct care nurse and
the nurse manager. This type of
conflict was associated with lack of
organizational support from the
leadership team and poor communication.
The third interpersonal
conflict was between other healthcare
providers and the direct care
nurse. These conflicts weren’t handled
effectively or were ignored,
which resulted in a toxic work
environment.