ctt np vs pa

B ecause intimidation and harassment among clini- cians and other hospital staff can compromise the quality of care, the Joint Commission issued a Sentinel Event Alert to address such disruptive behavior. Effective January 1, 2009, the new leadership standard calls for hospitals and other organizations to establish a code of conduct that defines acceptable and unacceptable behavior and to create a process for managing disruptive behavior when it arises. The me asure aims t o eliminate intimidation and other disruptions not only between nurses and physicians but also among administrators, pharma- cists, therapists, and support staff. The Joint Commission is an independent, nonprofit group that accredits and certifies 15,000 health care organizations in the United States. Research shows that disruptive behavior threatens patient safety , satisfactio n, and care and contributes to medical error and lawsuits filed by workers and patients. Such behavior increases the cost of care and causes workers at all levels to seek employment elsewhere. The new recommendations call for facilities to take the fol- lowing actions: • Educate a ll team m embers on a code of conduct emphasiz- ing respect. • Hold all staff respo nsible and enforce the code equitably. • Devise poli cies address ing fear of retaliation and disciplinary action. Hospitals Must Address Bad Behavior The Joint Commission calls for eliminating ‘disruptive behavior’ in hospitals. News Director: Maureen Shawn Kennedy, MA, RN E-mail: [email protected] [email protected] AJN M October 2008 M Vol. 108, No. 10 19 • Gather inp ut from al l employ- ees on uncivil behavior. • T rain managers in conflict resolution. • Develop repo rting syst ems, as well as a way to assess risk to patients. • Start with no nconfronta tional strategies, then move to an action plan if needed. • Make use of medi ators. • Encourag e d ialogue. • Document a ll efforts at ad- dressing disruptive behavior. “There is a history of toler- ance and indifference to intimi- dating and disruptive behaviors in health care. Organizations that fail to address unprofes- sional behavior through formal systems are indirectly promoting it,” write the authors of the alert, which is available online at www.jointcommission.org/ SentinelEvents/SentinelEventAlert/ sea_40.htm.—Carol Potera P u n c h s t o c k T he World Health Organization (WHO) is offering eight-week internships for graduate students, including a practicum that “requires in-country work with the WHO Collaborating Cent re on Nursing and Midwife ry Develop- ment,” according to a WHO announcement. Also, the scholars program is a three-month opportunity “for outstanding nurse or midwife leaders to actively participate in development of health policy . . . at the global level.” Find out more about global work in nursing and midwifery at www.who.int/hrh/nursing_ midwifery/en. News from the WHO Opportunities abound in nursing and midwifery.

ctt np vs pa

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