title: Conflict management and job satisfaction in paediatric hospitals in Greece.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the major causes of conflict and to identify choices of strategy in handling conflicts.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Conflict is inherent to hospitals as in all complex organizations, and health personnel deal with internal and external conflicts daily.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample consisted of 286 participants. A five-part questionnaire, specific for conflicts in hospitals, was administered to health personnel.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the participants 37% were physicians and 63% were nurses and nursing assistants. As far as choice of strategy in conflict management is concerned, avoidance was found to be the most frequent mode chosen while accommodation was the least frequent mode. Organizational problems were the main issue creating conflicts since 52% of nurses and 45% of physicians agreed that receiving direction from more than one manager may lead to conflicts (P=0.02). Educational differences and communication gaps were reported as another cause of conflicts, with nurses supporting this statement more than the other groups (P=0.006).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To become effective in conflict management nurses and physicians must understand causes and strategies in handling conflicts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Major changes are needed regarding human resource management, work incentives and dynamics of teamwork in order to improve working conditions in Greek public hospitals.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Daphne
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kaitelidou
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kontogianni
authors.forename: Petros
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Galanis
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Siskou
authors.forename: Anastasia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mallidou
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pavlakis
authors.forename: Petros
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kostagiolas
authors.forename: Mamas
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Theodorou
authors.forename: Lycurgus
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liaropoulos
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology; D017008:Negotiating; D015401:Nursing Administration Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology; D010371:Pediatric Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires