Harmony in the hospital

Conflict exists everywhere, and hospitals are no exception. In hospitals, however, conflicts among staff are dangerous as they negatively affects quality of care. Therefore, hospitals are establishing policies and procedures to prevent and resolve conflicts. While several distinct conflict management tools exist, their effectiveness in different hospital settings is unknown. To address this question we surveyed physicians and nurses to identify similarities and differences among hospital departments in the antecedents, characteristics, and outcomes of disruptive behaviors, and in the effectiveness of conflict management tools, using a qualitative and quantitative questionnaire-based assessment. We found that antecedents and forms of disruptive behaviors varied significantly between departments. Whether hidden or expressed, disruptive behaviors negatively affected patient care and staff morale. The outcomes of conflicts were influenced by their antecedents, which in turn influenced the effectiveness of alleviating strategies. Thus, one-size does not fit all; conflict resolution tools and strategies are more effective if tailored to specific situations.