Pharmacists' experience of conflict in community practice

Abstract 

Background

Interpersonal conflict may be characterized as intellectual disagreement with emotional entanglement. While interpersonal conflict has been studied and described in different health care settings, there is little research that focuses on community pharmacists and the ways in which they experience conflict in professional practice.

Objective

To describe and characterize the experience of interpersonal conflict within community pharmacy practice.

Methods

A self-reporting narrative log was developed in which actively recruited pharmacists reported and reflected upon their day-to-day experiences of interpersonal conflict in professional practice. Focus groups of pharmacists were convened following data analysis to provide context and confirmation of identified themes. Based on this analysis, an explanatory model for interpersonal conflict in community pharmacy practice was generated. Participants were actively recruited from community pharmacy settings in the Toronto (Canada) area. A total of 41 community pharmacists participated.

Results

Interpersonal conflict in pharmacy practice is ubiquitous and results from diverse triggers. A conflict stance model was developed, based on the worldview and the communication style of the individual pharmacist.

Conclusions

Specific conflict stances identified were: imposing, thwarting, settling, and avoiding. Further testing and refinement of this model is required.

Keywords: Conflict, Conflict styles, Pharmacy practice, Conflict management