Impact of the Triple D Method on Conflict Management and Workplace Engagement

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Although nurses' attitudes toward teamwork and work-related well-being have been explored, evidence is limited on the impact of a team-based method to manage interpersonal conflicts among nursing staff members. LOCAL PROBLEM: Nursing leaders on a 20-bed critical care service unit at a large teaching hospital in the southwestern United States received increasing reports of interpersonal conflicts between direct care staff members. They chose to address this problem by acknowledging the incivility and implementing improvement initiatives. METHODS: This project, which followed a plan-do-study-act cycle, compared perceptions of interpersonal communication and workplace engagement initiatives before and after implementation of the Triple D Method: Discuss, Decide, Deliver and compared the presence of self-care behaviors before and after the promotion of well-being practices. Data were collected through voluntary and anonymous questionnaires. Responses were assessed 1 month before and 6 months after implementation of the interventions. INTERVENTIONS: Each month, nurses and nursing assistants met with the unit's nurse leaders to discuss teamwork barriers, decide on strategies to limit these barriers, and implement the chosen solutions. Well-being practices were promoted. RESULTS: Staff perceptions of interpersonal conflict management and engagement initiatives improved after implementation of the Triple D Method. The promotion of well-being practices was effective in increasing reported self-care behaviors. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrated that the Triple D Method was useful in supporting interpersonal conflict management. The promotion of well-being practices was effective in increasing reported well-being behaviors and fostering a healthy work environment. These strategies should be replicated in direct care settings with larger sample sizes.