Factors That Influence the Training Transfer and Maintenance of Conflict Resolution Programs of Healthcare Training and Development Units: A Retrospective Study

Abstract

Conflict resolution skills are important for all healthcare professionals. Conflict and miscommunication can have detrimental effects on decision-making, potentially impacting on patient-care, morbidity and mortality, making upskilling of health professionals’ conflict resolution skills important. However, research suggests only around 10–15% of training knowledge and skills transfers to the workplace, making training a seemingly poor investment. Via a retrospective online survey, this study examined factors associated with the transfer and maintenance of conflict resolution skills of medical officers and healthcare professionals who undertook relevant training. The results of multivariable linear regression analyses showed that 77% of the variance was predicted for training transfer and 42% for training maintenance predominantly by individual (e.g. emotional intelligence and motivation) and organisational transfer climate factors (e.g. support and goal-setting cues). These results have implications for healthcare organisations in regards to how they motivate and support staff before and after training to increase transfer and maintenance of conflict resolution skills.