Question 1
When not handled well, conflict can stifle team work efforts and multidisciplinary collaboration, an element that is very essential in the delivery of patient centered care. Although Rubenfeld & Scheffer (2010) argue that conflict can have adverse effects on patient care, conflict can also be handled differently in order to yield positive results and promote collaboration and interdisciplinary team work. Nelson, King & Brodine (2008) argue that conflicts between nurses and physicians at time arise because of differences in opinions with regards to the requirements for patient care. The enduring hierarchical relations between nurses and physicians manifested through the dominance of physicians and the subservience of nurses has also been a source of conflict.
However, these conflicts can be used in a positive way so as to improve collaboration and multidisciplinary teamwork. Rubenfeld & Scheffer (2010) suggest that one of these ways is not trying to eliminate conflicts from professional relationships between the members of the health care delivery team. Rather, they suggest the use of the opportunities presented by these conflicts. One of the ways through which these opportunities can be utilized is by improving the communication skills. Rubenfeld & Scheffer (2010) particularly highlight parallel communication as one of the ways through which these conflicts persists and result in negative patient outcomes. Instead of parallel communication, Rubenfeld & Scheffer (2010) suggest collaborative communication so as to not only understand the sources of conflict, but also to enable the next step.
The next way through which conflicts can be used positively to enhance collaboration and multidisciplinary teamwork is through conflict resolution. This entails identifying and reconciling the differences in opinions between the various members of the health care delivery team. During the conflict resolution process, it is important to eliminate dualistic perspectives where members of the health care delivery team think of their contribution to patient care individually and instead foster monistic perspectives where patient care is seen in the context of teamwork (Hoeman, 2008). This approach will not only enhance collaboration but also create an environment where such results are sustainable (Nelson, King & Brodine, 2008).
Question 2
After the research in many universities, Bensimon and Neumann identified eight team thinking roles. One of these roles is that of a definer. As highlighted in Rubenfeld & Scheffer (2010), one of the roles in team thinking is the definer. This role entails voicing and creating the team’s reality. Under this role, the confines of the reality of a team are created and communicated to the other team members. In my nursing profession, I have seen nursing managers fulfilling this role in our weekly meetings. This role was important to the team thinking, especially in ensuring that it went smoothly because in fulfilling this role, the nursing manager defined the issues that were facing the nursing unit, thereby opening up the discussion on possible solutions to the issues. The members of the nursing staff perceive the person playing this role as a leader. This is because the person not only identifies the issues in the nursing unit, but is also able to galvanize the other members to deliberate on the issues.
The other role of a thinking team identified by Bensimon and Neumann as highlighted in Rubenfeld & Scheffer (2010) is the role of synthesizer. a synthesizer is important in team thinking. A synthesizer’s role involves eliciting the thinking perspectives that are embraced by the team. The synthesizer’s role also entails providing linkages to the solutions that are advanced by the team through the thinking process (Bensimon & Neumann, 1999). The synthesizer is very important in the smooth running of the team thinking process because his foresight helps the other members see the linkages in various thinking perspectives explored in the thinking process. this role has been played by a registered nurse in my unit where she helped build consensus amongst the nursing staff by explaining that they were all gearing to the same thing, though in different approaches. This role is perceived as very essential in the thinking process as it mediates between the divergent views.
References
Bensimon, E. and Neumann, A. (1999). Redesigning Collegiate Leadership: Teams and Teamwork in Higher Education. Baltimore. Johns Hopkins University Press
Hoeman, S. (2008). Rehabilitation nursing: Prevention, intervention, and outcomes. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby/Elsevier.
Nelson, G., King, M. & Brodine, S. (2008). Nurse-Physician collaborations on medical-surgical units. Medical-surgical nursing 17(1):35-41.
Rubenfeld, M. & Scheffer, B. (2010). Critical thinking TACTICS for nurses: Achieving the IOM competencies (2nd ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.
