CONFLICT MANAGEMENT STYLES AND CAREER SATISFACTION IN TERTIARY HEALTH INSTITUTIONS IN RIVERS STATE

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between conflict management styles and career satisfaction of tertiary health institutions in Rivers State. Research design is cross-sectional survey. Target population for this study comprises of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital and Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital (BMSH). Purposive sampling technique was used. Total accessible population for this study consists of 608 medical doctors, nurses and administrative staffs. Sample size is 241 using Taro Yamane formular. Method of data collection is questionnaire. 241 copies of questionnaire were distributed but 200 copies were correctly filled and used for data analysis. Validity was determined using face validity. Cronbach alpha test was used to ascertain the reliability of the instrument. Spearman Rank Order Correlation Coefficient (rho) served as a statistical tool. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (22.0) was used to run the analysis. The study found that conflict management styles have significant relationship with career satisfaction. The study concluded that conflict management styles measured in terms of collaboration style, accommodation style and compromise style enhancecareer satisfaction of health workers in tertiary health institutions in Rivers state. One of the recommendations is that managers should adopt collaboration style of conflict management to resolve disagreement in the organization so as to improve career satisfaction of their employees.