Using Respect2Connect™ To Build a Culture of Respect in Healthcare
Disrespect within the medical profession is a significant concern. It manifests in various forms and affects healthcare delivery. This case study describes how one hospital’s nursing team reversed that trend to reduce turnover among its registered nurses.
Disrespect is a problem in healthcare, especially for nursing staff
Healthcare professionals frequently encounter disrespectful behavior from patients. That disrespect can include verbal abuse, physical threats, and even assaults. Recent research revealed that 74% of nurses had been exposed to verbal violence and 28% to physical violence. These incidents often go unreported. Physician disrespect for nurses is another problem. Nurses complain about physicians’ condescending attitudes and undervalusing their and dismissing their clinical concerns. In response, some nurses voice their pconcerns about patient care less often. Unfortunately, these behaviors are common. Almost 80% of healthcare professionals have witnesses physicians’ unprofessional behaior and 65% have experienced it themselves.
Disrespect can have a profound effect on the staff. The burnout risk increases and healthcare workers are more likely to voluntarily leave the organization or leave the profession completely. DIsrespect can also have a negative effect on patient care in the form of errors in diagnoses and treatment.
Addressing disrespect in the medical profession requires comprehensive culture change strategies, clear policies against unprofessional behavior, and providing support systems for those affected.
Consider the case of a healthcare system I recently advised to illustrate the power of the RESPECT EthosTM Model to address these challenges.
Using Respect2ConnectTM to Transform a Hospital Culture
After acquiring two smaller hospitals with very different cultures, a post-merger survey revealed significant challenges in patient care and employee satisfaction. In one acquired hospital, patients complained about poor responsiveness to simple requests. In the other hospital, the nursing staff complained about burnout, disparate pay rates relative to nurses in the other system hospitals, and a perceived lack of empathy from the administrators.
The Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) used the RESPECT EthosTM framework to bring the nursing staff of each hospital together to identify ways to address these issues. We put the newly acquired nurses together in small groups and asked them to assess their experience using the seven R-E-S-P-E-C-T elements. This activity resulted in quick feedback about which elements needed priority attention. The nurses’ feedback indicated that the organization needed to enhance all seven dimensions, but they prioritized the Recognize and Share elements. They then implemented our RESPECT2CONNECTTM workshops to help all hospital team members understand which behaviors could help create respectful interactions among themselves and their patients.
Nurse Experience Improved Significantly
Within six months, these two hospitals saw significant improvements in their targeted outcomes. Patient experience scores improved by 10 points, employee engagement scores increased by 5 points, and voluntary turnover among these acquired nurses was just 10% (the average registered nurse turnover for the entire system averages 18%).
This case demonstrates how a focus on respect can transform organizational culture, improve performance, and drive tangible business results.
