A nurse at a physician-run clinic tried to schedule an operating room

QUESTION

A nurse at a physician-run clinic tried to schedule an operating room for an early morning outpatient surgery. The nurse manager of the operating rooms did not have any available rooms until late afternoon, so the nurse manager refused the request.

This resulted in what type of conflict?
a.
Cultural conflict
b.
Horizontal conflict
c.
Vertical conflict
d.
Intradepartmental conflict

ANSWER:

ANS: B
Line-staff conflict, which is usually horizontal, is commonly a struggle among domains related to activities, expertise, and authority. The need for consensus, requirements of work sequence, and use of shared facilities or services are potential areas of conflict aggravated by differing departmental goals.