Potential sources of conflict in intensive care units - a questionnaire study

Conflicts occur in intensive care units (ICUs), and an international multicentre study conducted in 2008, including 323 ICUs from 24 European countries, confirmed the occurrence of this phenomenon. There are no data in Poland. The aim of the study was to analyse the frequency of the occurrence of conflicts in ICUs in Polish hospitals, and their most frequent sources.

The study was based on an original questionnaire performed in 12 ICUs in the Pomeranian Voivodship. The respondents were asked questions regarding the frequency, type, and lines of conflicts between employees, as well as potential causes of conflicts.

Completed surveys were received from 232 employees, including 79 doctors and 153 nurses. The phenomenon of occurrence of conflicts was confirmed by about 30% of the staff, providing answer that conflicts occur "often". About 43% of staff estimated that conflicts "sometimes" occur and 25% chose the answer "rarely". Analysis of the answers made it possible to identify the most common potential causes of conflict.

The main sources of conflicts in ICUs appear to be external factors such a financial issues and physical overload. The hospital policy and the health policy of the state are also important. The perceived conflicts require careful and constant monitoring. The frequency of hidden conflicts requires thorough assessment of their impact on the quality of work.