Conflict Analysis

Q1: Identify an interdisciplinary/interpersonal communication conflict that you experienced during your career and provide a summary of the event that includes a description of the event, the members involved, and the immediate outcome or result.

An example, I would like to discuss to demonstrate an interdisciplinary/interpersonal communication conflict, is from my professional experience as a nurse. I was a primary nurse at the time for an adult male patient, with a third degree heart block. In the medical profession, a patient's well-being is in the hands of his physician and a primary nurse. The concerned event, that unfolded, also involved an on-call physician and me, serving as the primary nurse. I performed my required tasks mainly monitoring BP and administrating prescribed dosages of pharmaceuticals. The patient's condition was getting adverse and the physician and I were completely involved, to make critical real time life vulnerable decisions. The doctor asked me to persist with his prescribed treatment, whereas my personal knowledge and experience, suggested otherwise. I was of the view to apply an alternate treatment on the resuscitating patient. As such, I was inclined to change the doctor's mind. My suggestions were not entertained. Further, I was made aware of my insubordination to enforce upon my senior. These were critical moments in our procedure, and my interference is wasting critical time. Clearly the role and thus the decision making and responsibility carried with the role have to be carried by the physician. I was out of bounds and unprofessional. I have to accept that this particular conflict was a result of my indiscretion.

These were initial years of my nursing career. My professional experiences were limited. This conflict in communication aided me to respect the professional boundaries and taught me other important lessons. It was an introspective and self critical professional experience. I gained an understanding that professional roles and authority dissimilarities exist, in professional circles. I also realize that it is expected that professionals will honor the boundaries of these authority and role differentials.

Q2: Analyze and discuss the barriers that existed that prevented effective communication. Consider factors such as language, literacy, cultural, generational, and gender differences, along with professional role differences and power/authority dissimilarities.

The biggest contributory factor that can be highlighted from the mentioned experience has to be the professional role difference that existed between the physician and myself. This role difference provisioned him with power and authority to ...