Conflict management in the intensive care unit

Abstract

Conflict is common in the intensive care unit (ICU). Experiences in critical care are often intense, involving high stress and high stakes, but learning to appropriately manage a circumstance that might otherwise lead to conflict should be a measure of personal success. Many examples come to mind: intra-team conflict, conflict between the ICU team and consulting services, and conflict between the ICU team and the patient/family unit, to name a few.1,2 This editorial addresses the issue of conflict in the ICU, including how to recognize it, how to manage it, and how to turn conflict into an opportunity for improvement. © 2013 American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.