A note from ACPE's CEO
Barry Silbaugh, MD, CPE
For years we’ve heard stories of — and witnessed firsthand — behaviors within our profession that are disrespectful, unprofessional, and toxic to the workplace. We’ve just completed a survey of our members and nursing leaders to gain a better understanding of this controversial subject at a time when all aspects of the health care system are being put under a microscope.
The study shows how frequently physician and nursing leaders report seeing these behaviors — and how they’re often tolerated in the safety-critical work of health care. A relatively small number of individuals are at the center of this dysfunction. The raw emotion expressed in the anecdotes submitted by the survey participants shows just how destructive and pernicious disruptive communication is to the health care workforce in this country — and to the safety of patients.
The silver lining in this topic are stories of successful methods to create zero tolerance for threatening, intimidating, and demeaning communication in health care. In the articles that follow the survey results, we’ve solicited opinions and recommendations from communication experts and health system leaders on what you can do to make an impact, and meet The Joint Commission’s recent requirement for a code of conduct, and a process for managing unacceptable behavior. These dysfunctional, dangerous behaviors are not limited to physicians. Because of our traditional roles in the health care hierarchy, however, we need to be role models of effective teamwork and leadership under stress for physicians in training, for other members of the health care team, and for our patients.
Pilots learned that “fighting in the cockpit” was stressful, and contributed to catastrophes, so they changed their behaviors — yes, behaviors. We can do the same. By tightening and defining expected communication behaviors among members of the health care team, we’ll take a giant step toward improvement. We want you to help us make disruptive behavior an artifact of the past in health care.
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Special Report: 2009
Doctor-Nurse Behavior Survey
By Carrie Johnson
Examine the eye-opening results of the ACPE survey on doctor nurse behavior and learn how the problems can directly affect patient care.
By Carrie Johnson
By Alan H. Rosenstein MD, MBA
By Michael Buckley, MD, John Laursen and Victoria Otarola
Pennsylvania Hospital launches doctor-nurse partnership program and finds that better working relationships lead to better patient care.
By Joseph Grenny
Techniques are available to begin to address bad behaviors, including encouraging health care workers to speak up and discuss their concerns.
Resources
Educational Courses
Custom Programs
Barbara Linney, MA
Jonathan Burroughs, MD
Publications
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