| Course | DNP 709 Individual and Innovation Leadership in Healthcare Practice |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 6 |
| Paper type | Immersion reflection with conflict plan |
| Length | About 430 words, 4 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Arizona State University |
| Program | Doctor of Nursing Practice |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for DNP 709 Module 6
The Conversation I Have Been Avoiding: A Conflict Plan After the Second Immersion
Student Name
Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University
DNP 709: Individual and Innovation Leadership in Healthcare Practice
Instructor Name
Month Day, Year
The Conversation I Have Been Avoiding: A Conflict Plan After the Second Immersion
What the Immersion Showed Me
The conflict-mode exercise placed each of us on two axes, how assertive and how cooperative we tend to be, which together yield five ways of handling conflict, from competing and collaborating through compromising to avoiding and accommodating (Kilmann & Thomas, 1977). My results were highest for accommodating and avoiding, which matched my self-assessment earlier in the course. In the role play, I played a manager facing a nurse who refused a float assignment. I gave in within two minutes. My partner said afterward that I had agreed before she finished her argument.
The Situation
For several months, a charge nurse on nights has given the heaviest assignments to newer nurses and lighter ones to a small group she is close to. Two newer nurses have mentioned it, and one has asked to transfer. I have hinted at fair assignments in staff meetings but never spoken to the charge nurse directly.
Which Mode Fits
Avoiding has already failed: the problem is growing and a nurse may leave. Accommodating would mean accepting unfairness. Competing, simply ordering change, might work briefly but would cost the charge nurse's trust and her strengths as a clinician. Collaborating fits best because I need both fair assignments and a working relationship. If collaboration fails, I will move to a firm, directive approach.
My Plan
Goal: fair assignments by an agreed standard, and a charge nurse who understands why.
Preparation: review six weeks of assignment sheets and acuity scores so that I bring facts, not impressions.
Opening: "I want to talk about how assignments are being made on nights. I've looked at the last six weeks, and I'm seeing a pattern I need to understand."
Listen: ask for her view and let silence work.
Agree: an assignment checklist based on acuity, reviewed by the house supervisor for one month.
Follow-up: meet again in two weeks with the next assignment sheets.
Risks and Courage
I expect defensiveness and possibly tears, and I know my instinct will be to soften the message until it disappears. I will write the key sentence on a card and say it even if the conversation becomes uncomfortable. Leaders model ethical conduct partly by what they are willing to correct (Brown et al., 2005).
What I Am Learning About Risk
The immersion linked conflict with innovation: teams that cannot disagree cannot test new ideas. Avoiding this conversation has quietly taught my staff that speaking up changes nothing, which works against psychological safety on the unit (Edmondson, 1999).
References
Brown, M. E., Treviño, L. K., & Harrison, D. A. (2005). Ethical leadership: A social learning perspective for construct development and testing. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 97(2), 117-134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2005.03.002
Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350-383. https://doi.org/10.2307/2666999
Kilmann, R. H., & Thomas, K. W. (1977). Developing a forced-choice measure of conflict-handling behavior: The "MODE" instrument. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 37(2), 309-325. https://doi.org/10.1177/001316447703700204
Reading the DNP 709 Module 6 assignment instructions
The posted syllabus grades Immersion 2 (Conflict Plan) at 10 points as an individual written document reflecting on the second in-person immersion. It belongs to Weeks 9 to 10, the lesson on embracing risk and moving through conflict, in the course module on innovation and complexity. Expect to reflect on the immersion's activities and produce a plan for handling a conflict, ideally a real one from your practice. Canvas holds the prompt and any template. Because the reflection is short, focus on one conflict and one plan rather than a general essay on conflict styles. Write it soon after the immersion so the role plays are fresh. The plan you write now can be carried into the synthesis paper at the end of the term, where you report how the conversation went.
How the DNP 709 Module 6 example is put together
The reflection begins with what the immersion revealed about the writer's own default responses, citing the conflict-mode model used in the exercise. It applies that insight to one real, specific situation and explains why each mode would or would not work, choosing collaboration with a fallback. The plan reads like something she could carry into the room: a goal, preparation with data, an opening sentence, listening, an agreement and a follow-up date. A section on risk admits her likely failure point and how she will guard against it. The ending connects conflict to innovation, the course's theme. Choosing a real conflict also gives the writer something to report in the final synthesis paper, which makes the plan part of a longer story.
Where the marks sit in the DNP 709 Module 6 rubric
Conflict plan reflections are generally graded on meaningful connection to immersion activities, insight into the student's own conflict tendencies, a realistic and specific plan, appropriate use of conflict concepts, and reflection on risk and growth. Faculty look for plans grounded in a real situation with concrete steps. An opening script and a follow-up date show readiness to act. Choosing a conflict mode for reasons, rather than always favoring collaboration, shows judgment. Honest discussion of what might go wrong shows self-awareness. Links to innovation and team culture connect the reflection to the course's aims. Plans that include the exact words for the opening sentence are easier for faculty to judge as realistic.
DNP 709 Module 6 help with common mistakes
The most frequent weakness is a conflict plan that is really a summary of conflict styles. Pick one real conflict and plan the actual conversation. Another is choosing collaboration without explaining why it fits better than the alternatives. Bring facts to the plan, such as records or dates. Write the first sentence you will say. Protect privacy by describing roles, not names. If you would like help building your conflict plan, send the immersion prompt and a description of the situation to the desk. Schedule the follow-up before you leave the first conversation. Expect to feel uncomfortable, and plan for it. Write down what success would look like two weeks after the conversation, so you can judge the result honestly.
Write yours, or have the desk draft it
This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Arizona State University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.
More DNP 709 and Doctor of Nursing Practice sample papers
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DNP 709 Module 6 questions, answered
Where can I find a free DNP 709 Module 6 sample paper?
The conflict plan reflection above is complete: immersion insights, a real situation, the conflict mode chosen with reasons and a step-by-step plan with follow-up.
How many points is the DNP 709 Immersion 2 conflict plan?
Immersion 2 (Conflict Plan) is worth 10 points.
What are the five conflict-handling modes?
Competing, collaborating, compromising, avoiding and accommodating, arranged by assertiveness and cooperativeness.
Which conflict mode is best for nurse leaders?
It depends on the situation; collaboration suits problems where both the outcome and the relationship matter.
When is the DNP 709 conflict plan due?
It follows the second in-person immersion in Weeks 9 to 10; check Canvas for the date.