Building Relationship-Based Care Among Nurses: A Holistic, Exploratory Project

In this exploratory project, efforts were made to strengthen a relationship-centered, caring milieu to improve communication among nursing staff and to help nurses identify and constructively resolve conflicts. Eighteen interactive workshops addressed communication patterns and helped participants identify causes of conflict, facilitate dialogue, improve collaboration, and resolve workplace conflict. The experiential workshops were analyzed with pre- and post-surveys. Participants perceived as individual and team members that it was less important to like one's colleagues and more important to be committed to the same purpose/goals. Individuals noted the value of respect for each other, regardless of title or position. They reported feeling more hopeful regarding work and that practicing tactics to address conflicts made it easier to confront others when the team goal was clear and shared. They indicated a desire to continue to build on conflict resolution, mediation, stress management, and mindfulness skills.