The New Healthcare Landscape: Disruptive Behaviors Influence Work Environment, Safety, and Clinical Outcomes

Hospitals across the nation address the challenge of disruptive behavior every day. Disruptive or intimidating behaviors can be manifested in overt ways, such as verbal threats, yelling, or throwing things, or in more passive ways, such as condescending language or lack of response to telephone calls or pages. Many professional organizations, for example, the American Medical Association, the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE), and the American College of Healthcare Executives, have endorsed zero tolerance of these behaviors in the workplace because of their effect on productivity and the safety of the environment.