Introduction
Communication is an essential part of life. No institution can operate without communication between its staff, leaders, and customers. In nursing, leaders have to utilize effective communication strategies to ensure professionalism in the workplace. This paper will examine various aspects of effective communication and conflict resolution in nursing settings.
Discussion
The key characteristics of effective communication include attentive listening, approachability, and focus on professionalism. Relationship management is a large part of successful communication for nursing leaders. Nursing leaders have to inspire their employees to perform better. Relationship management also includes conflict resolution and the resolution of issues caused by employees’ behavior (Ennis, Happell, Broadbent, & Reid-Searl, 2013).
The role of the nursing leader in the process of improving communication among the staff is exercised through various means. Since the role of the nurse leader involves inspiration and relationship management of the staff, they are responsible for the enhancement of nursing professionalism. This could be done through examination of the way the staff interacts with patients and each other. When the leader examines the situation, they become able to address any communication issues that the staff is experiencing.
If any signs of unprofessional behavior are found, it is the leader’s responsibility to discuss these issues with the members involved in the unprofessional behavior (Tanaka, Taketomi, Yonemitsu, & Kawamoto, 2016). If such issues are severe and the staff member does not make an effort to improve their behavior, it is up to the leader to terminate them or perform any other punitive actions.
Conflict in the workplace is at times unavoidable, especially in such high-stress professions like nursing. There are two primary challenges that nursing leaders experience when communicating during a conflict. The first is to carefully listen to the other person in the conflict and the second is always to try to determine their precise needs. The majority of conflicts can be resolved through people listening to each other because the true needs can often be fulfilled through either compromise or mutually beneficial means (Chan, Sit, & Lau, 2014).
If a person violates the organizational policy and they need to be terminated, it needs to be done with appropriate care to avoid further issues. As a nurse leader, I would make sure to pinpoint the reasons for termination. It is important to establish that the reason is not discriminatory in nature and is only related to violation of the organizational policy. During the termination meeting, the situation will be carefully explained to the person and the final pay and benefits information to make sure that no misunderstandings occur. The meeting should be private and no longer than 10-15 minutes (Chan, Sit, & Lau, 2014).
It is important to avoid becoming emotional during conflict communication. Emotions can make the leader ignore the other person who would reduce the chances of reaching a compromise or other positive resolution. Emotions could also lead to unprofessional behavior during a conflict and other negative outcomes (Twigg & McCullough, 2014).
Conclusion
It is impossible to be a successful nurse leader without effective communication in the workplace. Leaders should be attentive people who inspire others to behave professionally and work to the best of their ability. Careful listening can also help resolve a conflict by revealing the true needs of the opponent. However, excessive emotion can prevent the listening process which makes conflict resolution a much more difficult process. If resolution cannot be reached and the employee violates the organizational policy, they should be terminated carefully and with reasons for termination clearly stated.
References
Chan, J. C. Y., Sit, E. N. M., & Lau, W. M. (2014). Conflict management styles, emotional intelligence and implicit theories of personality of nursing students: A cross-sectional study. Nurse Education Today, 34(6), 934–939.
Ennis, G., Happell, B., Broadbent, M., & Reid-Searl, K. (2013). The importance of communication for clinical leaders in mental health nursing: the perspective of nurses working in mental health. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 34(11), 814–819.
Tanaka, M., Taketomi, K., Yonemitsu, Y., & Kawamoto, R. (2016). Professional behaviours and factors contributing to nursing professionalism among nurse managers. Journal of Nursing Management, 24(1), 12–20.
Twigg, D., & McCullough, K. (2014). Nurse retention: A review of strategies to create and enhance positive practice environments in clinical settings. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 51(1), 85–92.