No easy answers

Like so many other aspects of the healthcare field, the issue of disruptive behavior has few easy answers.

The definition is somewhat subjective - While we can all label and punch in the nose as disruptive behavior, one person’s condescending and belittling remark is another person’s “constructive criticism.”

Knowledge about disruptive behavior rarely changes disruptive behavior - My guess is that most smokers are aware of the risks, but given the number of people that still smoke, it appears that knowledge about the risks of smoking hasn’t affected their behavior. I even know an oncologists that smokes; who’da thunk it!

The context is ripe for disruptive behavior - Fatigue, life or death situations, staffing shortages, failed equipment, emotional trauma, not to mention substance abuse and stress of every day life.

Policies against disruptive behavior are generally inadequate (if they do exist), and poorly enforced – Even if a policy makes me think twice, the threat of punishment doesn’t fix the root problem. A policy is like a latex glove, it only keeps bad stuff from passing, but it has no power to heal or improve.

So now what? If we can’t change the fact that people tend to get sick at very inconvenient times, and education and sanction don’t work, how can we get to the heart of the matter and affect real change? We will explore this issue and some real answers over the coming weeks.
What’s your story? What ideas do you have? How do we get to the heart of the matter? Thanks for contributing!