ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on health care workers and how they manage conflict with and among patient families. Most health care workers do not receive training in conflict management processes but are often put in situations where conflict is present. Research into how members of health care organizations manage the conflicts identifies some of the strategies employed in conflict management. Family conflict, particularly at the end of life, is likely to happen at the bedside of the patient, and hospital staff may not have much training in formal conflict resolution procedures. Most conflicts in the hospital, especially at the end of life, are resolved internally by the hospital, and medical personnel can prevent long-term resentment between family members by resolving family tension. The first type of training program is conflict resolution sessions that can help individuals before conflict arises; the second is post-conflict analysis and discussion.
