Conflict-Handling Styles Demonstrated by Nursing Students in Response to Microethical Dilemmas.

Nursing students encounter microethical dilemmas during clinical practice and are confronted with negotiating accompanying conflict. This post hoc analysis pilot study describes the frequency of conflict-handling styles demonstrated by senior-level nursing students (n = 59) who encountered microethical dilemmas embedded within existing high-fidelity simulation. Observation of recorded simulations revealed that 55.9 percent of students demonstrated effective conflict-handling styles and 44 percent demonstrated ineffective conflict handling. Recommendations for nursing education include utilizing simulation to extend learning beyond the cognitive domain to promote congruence between knowing what a nurse should do and acting on one's convictions.