Introduction
The effective functioning of the healthcare sector critically depends on the cooperation between all specialists involved in the provision of care and treatment. However, the complexity of challenges and the diversity of clients’ demands might provoke additional pressure and stress and trigger the development of conflict situations. The inability to collaborate and communicate can result in the deterioration of outcomes and the appearance of multiple complications among patients, which is vital for emergency care (Rosenman et al., 2016). Therefore, conflict management acquires the top priority as one of the key tasks and responsibilities of a leader.
Defining conflict management and the leadership role in resolving the issue
The role of a leader in providing care in stressful situations is substantial (Wolfe et al., 2018). The intensive care unit and operating room are considered high-acuity settings that can facilitate more intensive conflicts because of the pressures of urgency and morbidity. According to McKibben (2017), the organizational conflict has an adverse impact on team functioning, decreases stability, and impedes overall productivity. As such, emergency care workers have a leadership responsibility in acknowledging and managing conflicts in an appropriate manner. An exemplary leader encourages negotiations and an adequate level of compromise. The core of effective leadership implies preventing or settling conflict positively by employing a well-balanced team function and raising morale.
Leadership strategies and methods for conflict management styles
Conflict management is determined as the process of minimizing the negative outcomes of the conflict while increasing the positive (Smiley, 2017). Thus, leaders must have the capacity to manage conflicts when they occur since such an ability is crucial for the success of the individuals or teams involved in the situation. There is a number of models for leadership approach in determining one’s conflict management behavior. The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) is an essential assessment tool that measures an individual’s behavior in conflict situations. Leaders need to adapt to various conflict situations and select the proper conflict-handling mode to gain favorable resolutions through effective employment.
The critical barriers in conflict management relations regarding the emergency care environment
As described by Johansen & Cadmus (2015), a supportive work climate and avoidant conflict management style serve as significant indicators of work stress. Emergency healthcare workers’ perception of a supportive work climate and their approach to conflict resolution might be linked to their work stress experience. Emergency nurses experience a lack of organizational support and an increased work stress level and, therefore, require conflict management skills training. Leadership development in healthcare is necessary to navigate the sector through the complex set of interacting factors and lead critical changes for efficient health care delivery (Ayeleke, Dunham, North & Wallis, 2018).
Conclusion
The emergency care settings pose ongoing challenges that affect the medical professionals, as well as the patients. The regular pressure of the intense clinical practice provokes multiple conflicts in the medical environment. This research aims at highlighting the role of leadership strategies and methods to assist in conflict management. An effective leadership strategy is crucial for leading and promoting changes at all medical system levels to fulfill the essential reforms in healthcare facilities.
References
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Rosenman, E., Brahzetti, J., & Frenandez, R. (2016). Assessing team leadership in emergency medicine: The milestones and beyond. Journal of Graduate Medical Education, 8(3), 332–340.
Smiley, F. (2018). A leadership guide to conflict and conflict management. In T. Huber, L. Breitenstine, L. Schreiber, K. Budzik, T. Moffitt, & J. Pearsol (Eds.), Leadership in Healthcare and Public Health (pp. 119–128). The Ohio State University.
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