Reflection on Conflict Resolution Skills During Stage Five Placements

Description

This reflection uses my experience on stage five placements that focused on my interpersonal and conflict resolution skills. The main reason for the conflict is the patient asking for more PRN analgesia shortly after receiving the maximum dose. Upon denial, the patient started to get irritated and frustrated, and I used effective communication skills to defuse the situation.

Feelings

The beginning of the scenario made me feel overwhelmed by the patient’s anger, as I had never experienced that situation before. During the process, I paused for a few seconds and tried to think about how to respond to the patient. However, I was satisfied in the end that I could defuse the situation by using effective communication skills.

Evaluation

Now that I have had a chance to evaluate the situation, I found positive and negative aspects. The positive aspect was that when the patient was aggressive, I used my effective communication skills to acknowledge his pain score and educate the patient that the given pain medication would provide relief from the pain. This aligns with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) Standard 2.2, which emphasises effective patient communication (NMBA, 2016). However, the negative aspect was that I found a gap in my initial response when the patient was abusive towards the staff. I paused at the beginning due to the minimal exposure to conflict management and lost my confidence.

Analysis

This experience has profoundly impressed upon me the paramount importance of effective communication and adept conflict resolution skills within the intricate realm of healthcare. The crux of the matter emerged when a patient earnestly sought additional analgesia shortly after receiving the maximum allowable dose. While their frustration was palpable, I also recognised the cautious approach healthcare providers must adopt to prevent overmedication and its potential repercussions. This endeavour was in clear alignment with the principles set forth by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA), specifically Standard 2.2, which underscores the pivotal role of adept patient communication in practice (NMBA, 2016).

This encounter served as a powerful example of patient-centred care and effective communication. By acknowledging the patient's pain and explaining the careful considerations behind medication dosages, I not only addressed their immediate concerns but also fostered a sense of collaboration and trust. The principles outlined by the NMBA came to life, showing that empathetic and informative communication can defuse tension and promote a shared understanding. This experience reaffirmed that healthcare is not just about medical treatments; it's about connecting with individuals on a human level (den Hertog & Niessen, 2021).

However, this situation also brought to light a gap in my preparation. When faced with the patient's verbal aggression, I felt momentarily unequipped due to my limited exposure to such intense conflicts. It was a stark reminder that theoretical knowledge, while crucial, might not fully equip healthcare professionals for emotionally charged encounters. This experience aligned with a study by Major (2019) that underscores the need for enhanced training in de-escalation techniques, emotional intelligence, and conflict management. Research by Hancock (2020) has revealed that navigating high-stress scenarios requires not only medical expertise but also the ability to remain composed and empathetic in the face of hostility. It's evident that healthcare education should encompass practical scenarios and interpersonal skills to ensure comprehensive readiness for the challenges that can arise in clinical practice.

Conclusion

I have learnt from this experience how crucial it is for nurses to have strong interpersonal and conflict-resolution skills in order to balance patients' needs with scientifically sound recommendations. Looking back, I should have made sure the patient understood the reasoning behind the dosage of the prescription drug. In a similar circumstance, I would take a similarly sympathetic stance but with an extra focus on partnering with the medical staff for a more thorough patient explanation. Also, I should have been more vigilant, responsible and prompt with my reaction towards incidents involving patients, especially the ones under my care and addressing their concerns without any hesitation.

Action Plan

Firstly, to increase my understanding regarding such situations in the future may entail going to pertinent workshops or webinars. In addition, I will proactively work with my placement supervisor to address conflict-management techniques resulting from patient demands. Their wisdom and experience can offer important insights. Additionally, I'll work to improve my assertiveness so that I can firmly handle circumstances like these while retaining a patient-centred approach. In order to further improve my communication skills, this may entail role-playing scenarios during training sessions (Mianehsaz et al., 2023). Last but not least, there would be continuous evaluation and improvement of my methods for resolving conflicts, asking for input from subordinates and superiors to pinpoint areas for development (Thapa et al., 2022). This will also involve adhering to the NMBA guidelines for ensuring effective patient communication and providing patient-centred care, specifically Standard 2.2, which underscores the pivotal role of adept patient communication in practice (NMBA, 2016).

References

Back, A. L., Fromme, E. K., & Meier, D. E. (2019). Training clinicians with communication skills needed to match medical treatments to patient values. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 67(S2), S435-S441. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.15709 

den Hertog, R., & Niessen, T. (2021). Taking into account patient preferences in personalised care: Blending types of nursing knowledge in evidence‐based practice. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 30(13-14), 1904-1915. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.15743

Hancock, S. L. (2020). The emotional burden of the correctional health care advanced practice nurse. Journal of Correctional Health Care, 26(4), 315-326. https://doi.org/10.1177/1078345820953219

Major, D. (2019). Developing effective nurse leadership skills. Nursing Standard, 34(6), 61-66. https://doi.org/10.7748/ns.2019.e11247

Manhas, K. P., Olson, K., Churchill, K., Vohra, S., & Wasylak, T. (2020). Experiences of shared decision-making in community rehabilitation: a focused ethnography. BMC Health Services Research, 20(1), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-020-05223-4

Mianehsaz, E., Saber, A., Tabatabaee, S. M., & Faghihi, A. (2023). Teaching Medical Professionalism with a Scenario-based Approach Using Role-Playing and Reflection: A Step towards Promoting Integration of Theory and Practice. Journal of Advances in Medical Education & Professionalism, 11(1), 42. https://doi.org/10.30476/JAMP.2022.95605.1651

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. (2016). Registered Nurse Standards For Practice. https://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/codes-guidelines-statements/professional-standards/registered-nurse

Thapa, D. R., Subedi, M., Ekström-Bergström, A., Areskoug Josefsson, K., & Krettek, A. (2022). Facilitators for and barriers to nurses’ work-related health-a qualitative study. BMC Nursing, 21(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-022-01003-z

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