Conflict Resolution in Nigerian Healthcare Settings: Case Study of Kano State Teaching Hospital

This study examines conflict resolution dynamics within the Kano State Teaching Hospital, located in Kano State, North West Nigeria, with the aim of drawing professional practice lessons for healthcare conflict management. Conflicts within hospital settings involving medical staff, patients, management, and ancillary workers are frequent, complex, and can have serious implications for patient safety and healthcare delivery quality. The study employs a professional case study research design, collecting data through semi-structured interviews with 30 medical officers, nursing staff, hospital management representatives, and patient welfare officers, supplemented by review of the hospital's conflict incident register from 2021 to 2024. The theoretical framework is anchored in organisational conflict theory and the health workforce conflict management framework. Findings indicate that the most prevalent conflict types in Kano Teaching Hospital involve hierarchical tensions between medical officers and nursing staff, patient-staff disputes over care quality, and management-union disagreements over working conditions and resource allocation. Existing conflict resolution pathways, including the medical ethics committee and staff grievance procedures, are underutilised due to perceived lack of confidentiality and institutional bias. Recommendations include establishing a dedicated health conflict mediator role within the hospital's administration, developing patient advocacy mechanisms with conflict resolution capacity, training ward managers in conflict de-escalation techniques, and reviewing the hospital's grievance procedure to ensure procedural fairness and confidentiality. Keywords: conflict resolution, healthcare, Kano Teaching Hospital, hospital management, professional practice.