across the room.
After the operation
was over, I told him,
calmly, "If that bottle
had struck me, I
would have reported
you to the police."
He was
flabbergasted and
said that he hadn't
thrown it at anyone;
however, his action was intimidating and alarming to everyone in
the OR. The possession of elite surgical skill does not excuse
treating others inhumanely.
6. Have "cup of coffee" conversations
When an employee violates your code for the first time, have a casual
chat with that person about why the actions were improper. Reassure
the employee that the event will not go "on the record." Be
empathetic and work with the staffer to solve any underlying
problems that led to the incivility.
For me, a conversation might begin this way: "You know, Robin,
when Christy suggested an idea to the committee meeting last week,
you rolled your eyes. What was going on there?" Then I would try to
have an honest discussion about how Robin might have handled the
moment more productively, always reminding her that our common
goal is always good patient care. Uncivil behavior does not help us
achieve our goals and our mission.
Interestingly, bullies often have no awareness that they're bullying.
In 2005, our facility experienced an influx of international nurses, and
N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 9 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 5 1
Civility should be
exemplified from
the top down in
every organization.
