Table 4 Recommendations for improving how unprofessional behaviour is addressed in healthcare settings
Target | Focus | Example |
|---|---|---|
Ethos – professional accountability culture change program | Initiate and maintain awareness of Ethos program | Needs refresher campaign—increase awareness overall and specific processes to submit and what happens after submitted |
Provide updates of messages received and acted upon; provide certificates for Recognitions, formalise Recognitions in personnel file | ||
Consider tailored adaptations by Ethos program role | Submitters – Advised that their report has been reviewed or actioned Messengers—Selected to deliver messages to those easily accessible (consider same campus, on similar roster); real life examples used in training | |
General | Improve working relationships further to support addressing behaviours | Enhance inter-disciplinary relationships and communication |
Link relevant disciplines so patient journey, practices and policies clear | ||
Acknowledge and emphasise that all roles make a contribution to patient safety, regardless of discipline or hierarchy | ||
Training in conflict management and difficult conversations for all | Train in initiating, conducting and being in difficult conversations; responding to conflict situations; giving and receiving difficult feedback; raising, hearing and addressing unprofessional behaviour, including handling any personal impacts | |
Self-management of emotions (e.g., frustration leading to incivility, responses to being advised of having exhibited UB) | ||
Systems in place to support all involved | Provide equal support and structure for both the speaker and the hearer of unprofessional behaviour reports. For example, training programs to support actions for those ‘speaking up’ as well as for those ‘hearing’, including identifying genuine concerns and addressing directly |