Conflict Resolution and Mediation Strategies for Health Care and Human Service Professionals

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Conflict Resolution and Mediation Strategies for
Health Care and Human Service Professionals
BC Farnham, MSW, MBA Debbie Favel, RN, MSN,
CHPN Dr. Denise Green Sheryl Matney, MS Jenny
Gilley Carpenter, LPN. Karina Lemos, RN.
Elizabeth R. Pugh, LBSW.
This program is made possible through a
collaborative community-education partnership
between The Consortium for Advancements in Health
Human Services, Inc. and the presenting agency.
The primary goal of this effort is to increase
public awareness and access to hospice care,
through the provision of community-based
education. Contact Hours are awarded to
professionals who complete this program by The
Consortium for Advancements in Health Human
Services, Inc.
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Important Information

• This education program for healthcare
  professionals was developed by The Consortium for
  Advancements in Health and Human Services, Inc.
  (CAHHS) and is facilitated by the presenting
  agency via a community education partnership
  agreement. CAHHS is a private corporation and is
  solely responsible for the development,
  implementation and evaluation of its educational
  programs. There is no fee associated with
  receiving contact hours for participating in this
  program titled, Conflict Resolution and Mediation
  Strategies for Professionals in Health Care and
  Human Services. However, participants wishing to
  receive contact hours must offer a signature on
  the sign-in sheet, attend the entire program and
  complete a program evaluation form.
• The Consortium for Advancements in Health and
  Human Services, Inc. is an approved provider of
  continuing nursing education by the Alabama State
  Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the
  American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission
  on Accreditation.The Consortium for
  Advancements in Health Human Services, Inc., is
  approved as a provider of continuing education
  in Social Work by the Alabama Board of Social
  Work Examiners, 0356, Expiration
  Date 10/31/2014.
• The course listed above was completed on / /
  and is approved for 1.0 CEUs. Approval number
  79003631. To claim these CEUs, log into your CE
  Center account at www.ccmcertification.org.
• In most states, boards providing oversight for
  nursing and social work recognize contact hours
  awarded by organizations who are approved by
  another state's board as a provider of continuing
  education.  If you have questions about
  acceptance of contact hours awarded by our
  organization, please contact your specific state
  board to determine its requirements. Provider
  status will be listed on your certificate.
• CAHHS does not offer free replacement
  certificates to participants. In the event that
  CAHHS elects to provide a replacement
  certificate, there will be a 20.00
  administrative fee charged to the individual who
  requests it.

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Learning Objectives

• Participants completing this continuing
• education program will be able to
• Discuss the definition of conflict.
• Discuss the five primary causes of conflict.
• Identify actions health care and human service
  professionals can take to facilitate conflict.

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What is conflict?

• "Conflict." This is a word that causes most of us
  a great degree of discomfort, anger, frustration,
  sadness, and pain. The dictionary defines
  "conflict" as "a struggle to resist or overcome
  contest of opposing forces or powers strife
  battle. A state or condition of opposition
  antagonism discord. A painful tension set up by
  a clash between opposed and contradictory
  impulses."
• No matter how hard we try to avoid it, conflict
  periodically enters our lives.In the health
  care and human services settings, a simple
  disagreement between interdisciplinary team
  members, if unresolved, may escalate into
  avoidance, inability to work together, verbal
  assaults, and resentment. In the worst cases, it
  may also lead to hostility and eventual
  separation from the organization. Therefore, it
  is important that the conflict be resolved as
  soon as possible.

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Conflict in Health Care and Human Service
Practice Areas

• We have conflict with our team members.
• We have conflict with leaders and decision
  makers.
• We have internal conflict.
• And, we are called on to facilitate conflict
  within family systems. We will focus on this area
  of conflict however, the information shared in
  this program has direct application to any type
  conflict regardless of setting.

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Conflict Is Not Uncommon

• Patients and families dealing with a terminal
  illness may experience conflicts.
• Social roles change due to illness.
• Power struggles may unfold as an illness
  progresses.
• Emotions are high during the course of an illness.

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Professionals Must Be Able to Navigate Conflict

• Hospice professionals are able to offer emotional
  support and facilitation of conflicts, which
  ultimately improves quality of life.
• The entire hospice team, to include social
  workers, work directly with patients and families
  to resolve conflict--- as our goal is to provide
  comfort and support and includes psychosocial and
  emotional care.

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Five Primary Causes of Conflict

• Relationship Issues
• Data
• Interests
• Structural Issues/ Challenges
• Values

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Relationship Issues

• Strong emotions
• Misperceptions or stereotypes
• Poor communication or miscommunication
• Repetitive Negative Behavior

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How to Effectively Address Relationship Issues

• Control expression of emotions through procedure,
  ground rules, defined boundaries and so forth..
• Promote expression of emotions
• Clarify perceptions and build positive
  perceptions
• Block negative repetitive behavior by changing
  structure
• Encourage positive problem solving

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Data Conflicts

• Lack of information
• Misinformation
• Different views on what is relevant
• Different interpretation of data
• Different assessment process

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How to Effectively Address Data Conflicts

• Reach agreement on what data is important
• Agree on process to collect data
• Develop common criteria to assess data
• Use an objective third-party to gain outside
  opinion or break deadlocks

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Interest-based Conflicts

• Perceived or actually competition
• Procedural interests
• Psychological Interests
• Emotional Interests (Positions vs. Interests)

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How to Effectively Address Interest-based
Conflicts

• Focus on interests and NOT positions
• Look for objective standards and criteria
• Remain solution focused
• Mutually beneficial solutions are a must
• Develop trade-offs/ creative compromises

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Structural Conflicts

• Destructive patters of behavior/ interactions
• Unequal control, ownership, resources
• Unequal power or authority
• Time constraints

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How to Effectively Address Structural Conflicts

• Clearly define and change roles
• Replace destructive behavior patterns
• Establish a fair and mutually acceptable process
• Change negotiation process
• Change time constraints

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Value-based Conflicts

• Different criteria for evaluating ideas and
  behaviors
• Exclusive intrinsically valuable goals
• Different ways of life religion and role
  definition/ expectations

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How to Effectively Address Value-Related Conflicts

• Avoid defining problems in terms of value
• Allow parties to agree to disagree
• Create spheres of influence
• Search for shared goals

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Benefits of Conflict Mediation

• Improves quality of life for patients and family
  members.
• Can serve as a tool that increases consumer
  satisfaction, when conflicts are related to
  service provision.
• Promotes happy and healthy relationships between
  patients, their family members and professionals.

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How can you help a hospice organization?

• Make a referral
• Request a speaker for your next community
  organization event or church function
• Help us recruit volunteers
• Tell others what you have heard about today.

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Program Evaluation

• Once you have completed the program evaluation,
  certificates for professionals who desire them
  are available.
• Thank you for your participation and interest in
  our community education programs.

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References

• Cahn, D., Abigail, R.   (2007)   Managing
  conflict through communication   Boston Allyn
  and Bacon
• Goleman, D., Boyatzis, R., McKee, A. (2002).
  Primal leadership. Boston   Harvard Business
  School Press
• Kouzes, J. M., Posner, B. Z. (2003).
  Leadership challenge (3rd ed.). San Francisco
  Jossy-Bass. (Original work published 2002)
• Wilmot, W., Hocker, J. (2007). Interpersonal
  conflict. New York McGraw-Hill