399

MARCH 2017 | The Surgical Technologist | 109 Navigating Through Conflict in the Operating Room L E A R N I N G O B J E C T I V E S s Define the dynamics of conflict s Identify the sources of conflict in the operating room s List six of the common conflict management styles s Learn how to handle any type of communication conflict s Review specific strategies for managing conflicts P icture the following scenarios. A surgeon throws a round basin full of saline over a surgical tech- nologist because it was not at the expected temperature. A couple of circulating nurses curse at each other, at the top of their lungs, fighting over the equipment a surgeon intends to use in a nasal sinus endoscopy. A surgeon jumps up and down hysterically in front of a nursing station because he did not get all three rooms he requested to run cases simultaneously. An anesthesiologist is removed from the surgical suite in order to prevent a fistfight with the surgeon over a difference of opinion on a type of medication the patient should receive during the procedure. During a normal day, the operating room is a controlled environment where risk-taking is carefully measured and people work together as a team like a well-oiled machine. Nonetheless, when animosity arises, it is imperative to know how its dynamics can negatively impact the work environment. W H A T I S C O N F L I C T ? The collective notion of conflict is that it is the struggle between indi- viduals and is rooted in disagreements due to people’s differences in needs, interests, perception, ideas, desires and values. As each individ- ual differs from one another, the need for defending those differences increases,4 therefore, conflict is natural, necessary, and most of the time, unavoidable. 2 However, an important distinction must be made between conflict and disagreement. While in a disagreement people may agree to disagree, the relationship remains unhurt. After all, people cannot always expect to agree on everything. Conflict is much more than a mere disagreement, it has the potential to lead to harmful and violent encoun- Jorge A Zamudio, cst, ms Despite the high demands of accuracy, stress, time, pressure and vast diversity of the surgical personnel, OR people have learned to work extremely well together. Still, conflict occurs from time to time and has become part of the operating room’s atmosphere.