ANM Conflict Resolution and Communication 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A nurse manager notices two staff nurses have stopped speaking to each other after a scheduling dispute. Which initial intervention is most appropriate?
- Reassign one nurse to a different unit
- Meet with each nurse individually to understand their perspectives (Correct answer)
- Post a memo reminding staff of professional conduct expectations
- Ignore the situation and allow it to resolve naturally
Correct answer: Meet with each nurse individually to understand their perspectives
Meeting individually with each party allows the manager to gather objective information before facilitating a joint resolution.
Question 2: During a shift handoff, a day-shift nurse uses aggressive language toward the night-shift charge nurse. The assistant nurse manager should:
- Reprimand the aggressive nurse publicly to deter future behavior
- Separate the individuals and address the behavior privately after the handoff is complete (Correct answer)
- File a formal grievance immediately without speaking to either party
- Ask other staff members to mediate the situation
Correct answer: Separate the individuals and address the behavior privately after the handoff is complete
Addressing aggressive behavior privately after ensuring patient safety maintains professionalism and protects dignity.
Question 3: Which communication technique is MOST effective when delivering constructive feedback to an underperforming nurse?
- Use general statements like 'you always' to emphasize a pattern
- Focus only on the negative behaviors to stress urgency
- Use specific, observable behaviors and describe the impact on patient care (Correct answer)
- Deliver feedback in a group setting to maximize learning
Correct answer: Use specific, observable behaviors and describe the impact on patient care
Specific, behavior-focused feedback tied to patient care outcomes is more actionable and less likely to trigger defensiveness.
Question 4: A staff nurse tells the ANM that a colleague is consistently taking longer breaks, increasing the workload for others. This is best characterized as:
- Substantive conflict
- Process conflict (Correct answer)
- Interpersonal conflict
- Relationship conflict
Correct answer: Process conflict
Process conflict involves disagreements about how work is being carried out, including task responsibilities and procedures.
Question 5: An ANM is mediating between a physician and a bedside nurse who disagree about a patient's pain management plan. The most collaborative approach is to:
- Side with the physician to maintain the interdisciplinary hierarchy
- Ask both parties to document their positions and submit them to administration
- Facilitate a structured conversation focusing on the patient's best outcome (Correct answer)
- Defer the conflict to the nurse manager above the ANM
Correct answer: Facilitate a structured conversation focusing on the patient's best outcome
Facilitating a structured, patient-centered dialogue encourages collaboration and shared problem-solving across disciplines.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes 'active listening' in a conflict resolution context?
- Taking notes while the other person speaks to document the conflict
- Waiting for your turn to speak while planning your response
- Fully concentrating, understanding, and responding to what is being said (Correct answer)
- Repeating the speaker's words verbatim to confirm accuracy
Correct answer: Fully concentrating, understanding, and responding to what is being said
Active listening involves full engagement, comprehension, and empathetic response rather than passive hearing or scripted repetition.
Question 7: A nurse manager uses the 'I' statement approach when addressing conflict. An example of a correct 'I' statement is:
- 'You made the team feel undervalued when you skipped the meeting.'
- 'Everyone agrees that your behavior is unprofessional.'
- 'I felt concerned when the meeting was missed because care coordination suffers.' (Correct answer)
- 'I think you don't care about the team's success.'
Correct answer: 'I felt concerned when the meeting was missed because care coordination suffers.'
'I' statements express the speaker's feelings and observations without assigning blame, reducing defensiveness in the listener.
ANM Conflict Resolution and Communication 2
A nurse manager notices two staff nurses have stopped speaking to each other after a scheduling dispute.
Which initial intervention is most appropriate?