Group Dynamics & Conflict Resolution

Group Dynamics & Conflict Resolution

Mike & Jillian

Workplace

What is a Group?

Phases of Group Life Cycle

• Two or more individuals who are connected to one another by social relationships

• Employers and nurses are partners in the delivery of optimal health care; they share the responsibility for creating a healthy workplace for all members of the health care team.
• Responsibility involves ensuring that conflicts do not negatively affect client health outcomes or relationships among colleagues.

Conflict

• Stages of group development are applicable to work groups as well as therapeutic groups
• Each phase has its own tasks that fill and expand on the work of previous phases

Storming Phase

Prevention

Forming Phase

• Phase characterized by conflict around interpersonal issues
• Members focus on power and control issues
• Characteristic behaviors include disagreement with the group format, topics for discussion, the best way to achieve group goals and comparisons of member contributions
• In the end, successful resolution leads to the development of group specific norms

• Members come together to form a group
• High dependence on leader for direction
• Get to know each other, find common threads
• Learn about group goals
• Minimal work on task

• Support effective collaboration and communication among health care team members
• Implement strategies to ease the impact of change and decrease stress among staff
• Ensure a comfortable and safe physical environment

Causes

Norming Phase

• Managers and administrators abuse or bully.
• Managers and administrators show favouritism to certain staff members and ignore their disruptive behaviour.
• Working conditions are poor.

• Cohesiveness develops as standards evolved by members are accepted as operational norms
• Individual goals become aligned with group goals
• Members are held accountable
• Group norms make the group safe and members begin to experience cohesiveness

Adjourning Phase

• Characterized by reviewing what is being accomplished
• Reflecting on the meaning of the groups work and making plans to move on in different directions

Performing Stage

Management

• Groups work is accomplished and categorized by interdependence and cohesion.
• People feel loyal to the group and individual members.
• Members are comfortable taking risks and able to offer constructive criticism.

• Provide a system that promotes the reporting of incidences of workplace conflict.
• Routinely assess the incidence of workplace conflict .
• Institute clear policies and consequences.

• Conflict is commonly perceived as being a negative issue.
• The experience of dealing with conflict can lead to positive outcomes for nurses their colleagues and clients.
• Conflict that is managed effectively by nurses can lead to personal and organizational growth.
• If conflict is not managed effectively, it can hinder a nurse’s ability to provide quality client care and escalate into violence and abuse.

Group Characteristics

Conflict Resolution

• Members of the group need to rely on each other
• Have to have a positive outlook on who they are interacting with
• Have a system

Objectives

What is Group Dynamics?

• At the end of this presentation the students will be able to...
• Define conflict and contrast the functional with the dysfunctional role of conflict in a therapeutic relationship
• Recognize and describe personal style of response to conflict situations

Nurse-Colleague

The scientific study of groups; also the actions, processes, and changes that occur in social groups.

• Conflict among colleagues can have an indirect influence on the therapeutic nurse-client relationship.
• Poor relationships among members of the health care team negatively affect the delivery of care.
• For example, workplace bullying can erode a nurse’s confidence and compromise her/his ability to foster therapeutic relationships with clients.

Management

Causes

• Establish positive collegial relationships
• Have to work together as a team to allow proper client centered care
• Develop healthy relationships
• Communication/collaboration
• Address conflict directly

• Lack of support
• Not a good relationship between health care team
• Taking on too many responsibilities
• Trying to work outside of your scope
• Not following hierarchy

Prevention

• Promote respectful work environment
• Mentor, support and integrate new staff members into practice setting
• Recognize that personal stress may affect personal relationships

Groups

Conclusion

Concepts of Conflict

Nurse-Client

• In all groups there is a relationship between the group members
• The stronger the relationship between members, the more beneficial

• Groups are evident in today's society, and directly correlates with nursing
• Nurses work together to promote a holistic client centered care
• It is important to have good group dynamics in order to promote a positive healthy environment

Conclusion

References

• Therapeutic relationship is the foundation providing nursing services that contribute to the client’s well being and overall health.

• The role is to support the client in achieving the clients health goals.

• Conflict can affect the attainment of these goals.

• Can be defined as tension arising from incompatible goals or needs in which the actions of one frustrate the ability of the other to achieve their goal.

Relationships of Groups/Types

Management

• Primary: Small, family, long term, face-face interactions
• Secondary: Large, formally organized (work group, class)
• Emergent: come into existence gradually after repeated interaction as individuals not formally placed

Cause

• Before conflict escalates

• Critical incident management

• Remain calm

• Avoid arguing

• Involve client and family

• Develop plan of care

Basic Concepts

* groups can form from groups

• Lack of communication
• Difference in values
• Personality clashes
• Stress
• If nursing care does not fit in with clients cultural belief system

Prevention

• Effective group dynamics and conflict resolution and prevention are crucial to a healthy work setting
• It is important to have a good relationship with your health care team to provide optimal care for clients

• Arnold, E., & Boggs, K. (2011). Communicating in groups. In J Forango & H. D. Hayden (Eds.), Interpersonal relationships (pp.222-233)
• Arnold, E., & Boggs, K. (2011). Resolving Conflict between nurse and client. In J Forango & H. D. Hayden (Eds.), Interpersonal relationships (pp.271-272)
• College of Nurses of Ontario. (2006). Practice standard: Conflict prevention and management, revised 2009. Toronto. Author
• Strickland, E. (2011, April 7). Transitions in nursing: conflict management [Video file]. Retrieved from

• Promote client centered care
• Following client’s needs
• Understand client
• Communication
• Acknowledge feelings
• Open ended questions while actively listening
• Open body language
• Acknowledge concerns
• Understanding

• Serves as a warning that something in the relationship needs closer attention.
• Conflict can lead to new relationships.