Conflict situations experienced at hospital: the view of nursing technicians and auxiliaries

Abstract

This study was developed at the Federal University of Minas Gerais Hospital with the purpose to analyze how nurses deal with the conflicts that occur in the work environment. The research was developed in two data collection stages. Authors applied a questionnaire, followed by a semi-structured interview. Data was organized according to their thematic content. According to the interviewed workers, the term conflict has a negative denotation. Some subjects pointed out the following types of conflict: intrapersonal, interpersonal and intergroup. Some of them also reported that nurses are prepared to face conflict situations using dialogue and negotiation. However, others answered that nurses are not prepared, due to professional inexperience and the lack of interaction with the team. Authors considered that these results must encourage nurses towards reflecting about their management practice.