Interpersonal Communication Competence and Conflict Handling Styles of Nurses in Intensive Care Units

Abstract

Nurses in intensive care units (ICUs) must be capable of employing appropriate conflict handling styles in order to communicate with medical teams, patients, and patient family members effectively. There is a current lack of research on the interpersonal communication competence and conflict handling styles of ICU nursing staffs in Taiwan. This study aimed to: (1) explore the interpersonal communication competence and conflict handling styles of ICU nurses and related factors and (2) examine the relationship between the interpersonal communication competence and conflict handling styles of ICU nurses. A cross-sectional correlational research approach was adopted and convenience sampling was used to recruit 351 ICU nurses from three hospitals in southern Taiwan. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, interpersonal communication competence scale, and conflict handling styles scale. (1) ICU nurses demonstrated a moderate or higher level of overall interpersonal communication competence, with "integrating" identified as the most commonly used conflict handling style. (2) Higher educational attainment and job position were both associated with better interpersonal communication competence. (3) The adoption of "compromising" and "avoiding" styles was significantly affected by age; the adoption of "obliging", "compromising", "avoiding", and "integrating" styles was significantly affected by education level; the adoption of "obliging", "compromising", and "integrating" styles was significantly affected by job position; and the adoption of "dominating", "compromising", and "integrating" styles was significantly affected by seniority. (4) Interpersonal communication competence correlated significantly and positively with the adoption of "dominating", "obliging", "compromising", and "integrating" styles. Future study of the views of ICU nurses toward their own styles in handling interpersonal conflicts is needed. Furthermore, holding training courses annually to orient ICU nurses with the advantages and disadvantages of interpersonal conflict handling styles is recommended.