Attempted Solutions
The attempted solutions to address the strained relationship were influenced by past experiences, personal values, and beliefs. Personal values, which are defined as trans-situational goals serving as guiding principles, have been determined as significant determinants in decision-making (Nilsson & Lundmark, 2020). Two factors, including the value of sharing and the belief that gifts are a powerful tool in making amends with a person and cultivating friendships, influenced attempted solutions. I have always thought of gifts are a sign of care, love, and appreciation for the other person. Based on past experiences, gifting a colleague has always been fruitful in building a relationship. The gifts may include delicious dishes, jewelry, a notebook, pens, and work-related accessories. In this case, I gifted my colleague with a cup of coffee on various occasions. Also, I invited the colleague to lunch and dinner on several occasions, but they always cited other commitments. I believed spending time with them outside the work environment would improve the relationship by lessening the tension that may have been created by the demanding work environment. Other attempted solutions included incorporating jokes in our conversation to reduce the tension, complimenting their efforts to show appreciation for the workmate, and asking questions to gain attention and increase the contact. The last solution that was implemented is minimizing eye contact during conversation.
Outcomes of the Solutions
Most of the solutions implemented had short-term effects or no impact at all. Gifting the workmate coffee on several occasions improved their moods for some time, but no long-term impact was achieved. The outcomes showed that the solution did not address the main source of the problem. The effort to invite the workmate for lunch and dinner were unfruitful as the requests were declined politely, citing other commitments. The workmate was not willing to suggest the days that they were free. I interpreted that as unwillingness to interact outside the work environment. The use of jokes and compliments also changed the workplace mood temporarily but had no long-term effects. All the solutions implemented failed to improve the relationship by enhancing communication and collaboration. Communication remained as brief as before, with the tendency of the workmate to avoid interactions increasing. The relationship became more strained, and at some point, it became stressful on my part as it was hard to identify the cause of the problem. On some occasions, I thought maybe the problem could not be fixed, and I start thinking that the only way to address the issue was asking for a shift transfer or seeking another job, especially when the request was not granted. However, learning the culture of the workmate in detail led to reduced eye contact, which decreased tension during communication, improving data sharing and interaction with the colleague.
Application of the Formal Problem-Solving Model
Problem-solving skills are essential in nursing to provide high-quality care to patients. One of the skills is critical thinking, which enables generation of effective solutions. According to Ahmady and Shahbazi (2020), nurses face two major problems, mainly those related to patient care and occupational problems, which are related to work for context and teams. The model to be adopted for the problem with the workmate is the six-step problem solving model. The model is most preferred since it ensures consistency, helps to eliminate bias, removes divisions and confusion, and provides a justifiable solution. The six steps include identifying the problem, defining it, determining the root cause, developing alternative solutions, selecting a suitable alternative, implementing the solution, and evaluating the outcome (Western Australia Department of Health, n.d).
Defining the Problem
Defining the problem involves diagnosing the problem in terms of the background, context, and symptoms. It also involves determining who is affected by the problem and the importance of solving the problem (Western Australia Department of Health, n.d). In the experience shared above, the problem involved communication, and major symptoms included minimal feedback, lack of collaboration, avoidance, and use of unfamiliar cues such as unfamiliar face expressions. Addressing the problem was crucial as it would affect the quality of services offered to clients. It would also affect productivity, my psychological well-being and that of the workmate, and the overall performance of the facility.
Determining the Root Cause
Root causes refer to a major source of the problem (Western Australia Department of Health, n.d). Based on the ineffectiveness of the solutions
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