Workplace Bullying Contributes to Medical Malpractice

by Jul 18, 2012

Here’s a really great article on workplace bullying and medical malpractice. The most important paragraph in the article is this one:

According to the Joint Commission (JACHO), an organization which accredits hospitals throughout the U.S., of roughly 5,000 sentinel events (events which resulted in patient deaths or severe injury as a result of malpractice) 70 percent were caused by poor communication between staff members and a leading cause of poor communication is workplace bullying. In an ISMP Survey 49 percent of health care professionals said that intimidation had altered the way they handled order clarification or questions about medication orders.

Thanks Kristin for talking about this very important issue!

Incivility, bullying, and harassment occur because the culture allows them to. Before starting inclusivity initiatives, you’ve got to stop bad behavior. Take this assessment to determine if your workplace fosters a positive culture.

 

Catherine

About Catherine Mattice

Catherine Mattice, MA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, is the founder/CEO of Civility Partners, an organizational development firm focused on helping organizations create respectful workplace cultures and specializing in turning around toxic cultures. Civility Partners’ clients range from Fortune 500s to small businesses across many industries. Catherine is a TEDx speaker and an HR thought leader who has appeared in such venues as USA Today, Bloomberg, CNN, NPR, and many other national news outlets as an expert. She’s an award-winning speaker, author, and blogger and has 60+ courses reaching global audiences on LinkedIn Learning. Her fourth book, Navigating Toxic Work Environments For Dummies (Wiley), is available in all major bookstores and where audiobooks are sold.

Why Are People So Sensitive? 4 Things Have Changed at Work

“Why is everyone so sensitive these days?” I hear some version of this all the time. Employees are offended by everything. Managers can’t say anything anymore. People need constant reassurance. Nobody can take a joke. Everyone has to walk on eggshells. And usually,...

How to Deal With an Angry Boss in 4 Steps

A few years ago, we published “Three More Brilliant Tips for Dealing with an Angry Boss,” and it continues to get a surprising amount of attention. Apparently, angry bosses aren't going out of style. So we figured it was time for an update - not because you need five...

3 Signs Toxic Leaders Have No Idea They’re Toxic

Wait… before you come for me, hear me out. As a coach who specializes in working with leaders who engage in toxic behavior, I’ve noticed a pattern that might surprise you: toxic leaders aren’t always the villains we assume they are. I know. Stay with me. When you hear...

Wait… HR Made Workplace Bullying Worse?

You’ve got a lot on your plate. Employee relations, compliance, performance issues, culture, and the occasional grown adult who apparently needs to be reminded not to terrorize their coworkers. Making workplace bullying worse certainly isn’t supposed to be on the...

3 Culture Band-Aids That Create Bigger Organizational Risk (And What to Do Instead)

Netflix recently found itself in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. According to a recently filed lawsuit, a Netflix executive participated in a company retreat that included a "vulnerability-trust exercise." During the exercise, he disclosed that he had...

Join our Workplace Intelligence Series + Office Hours

Every day, you are expected to solve increasingly complex workplace challenges. A bullying complaint lands on your desk. A high performer is damaging team morale. Burnout continues to climb despite your wellness initiatives. Managers struggle with difficult...

Do Your Managers Create an “Us vs. Them” Mentality? Here’s How to Know and What to Do About It.

Every organization has heard some version of it. "Don't shoot the messenger. This came from corporate." "I know it doesn't make sense, but that's what leadership wants." "I'm just telling you what they told me." Most managers think they're being empathetic when they...

4 Mistakes That Turn a Necessary Layoff Into a Culture Crisis

Most leaders think the layoff is the hard part. It isn't. The difficult conversations, severance packages, and notifications are emotionally draining, but they aren't where organizations win or lose their culture. The real challenge begins the next morning, when...

3 Ways Gatekeepers Sabotage Real Workplace Change

Recently an employer’s attorney contacted us looking for workplace training for her client. She described what she called "longstanding" workplace issues and stated she was looking for a training program to resolve them. As I explained that training likely isn’t the...

AI Can Now Detect Workplace Bullying and I’m Mad as Hell About It

The Latest Workplace Misconduct Technology Misses the Point Bloomberg reports a new generation of AI tools designed to detect misconduct, bullying, harassment, belittlement, and other problematic workplace behaviors. The promise sounds compelling: use artificial...