Discussion – Addressing Incivility for a Healthier Workplace

Discussion – Addressing Incivility for a Healthier Workplace

As a registered nurse, I witnessed workplace incivility during a busy shift when a senior nurse harshly berated a junior colleague for a minor medication error in front of the team. This public reprimand was unprofessional, creating immediate discomfort and tension. The junior nurse, still new to the role, was visibly shaken and struggled to regain composure, which affected her ability to perform effectively for the rest of the shift. The incident highlighted the detrimental impact of incivility on team dynamics and patient care quality.

This situation left me feeling frustrated and empathetic. I was frustrated because the incident could have been handled privately, turning it into a teaching moment rather than public shaming. My empathy was for the junior nurse, whose confidence and sense of belonging were visibly affected. The rest of the team responded with silence, leading to a palpable sense of discomfort and helplessness.

The consequences of this incivility were immediate and significant. The junior nurse’s focus on tasks was compromised, causing delays in patient care and a decline in service quality. Communication broke down as staff hesitated to collaborate. This incident affected outcomes during the shift and contributed to a longer-term decline in team morale, impacting patient safety and satisfaction.

This situation could have been prevented by fostering a healthy work environment through open communication and psychological safety, allowing staff to discuss errors constructively. Conflict resolution and de-escalation training could equip staff to handle such situations more professionally, as indicated by Ronquillo et al. (2023). Additionally, as asserted by Ota et al. (2022), regular team-building activities and supportive leadership can promote respect and cohesion, reducing the risk of incivility and enhancing both staff well-being and patient care outcomes.

References

Ota, M., Lam, L., Gilbert, J., & Hills, D. (2022). Nurse leadership in promoting and supporting civility in health care settings: A scoping review. Journal of Nursing Management, 30(8). https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.13883

Ronquillo, Y., Ellis, V. L., & Toney-Butler, T. J. (2023). Conflict management. National Library of Medicine; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470432/

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Addressing Incivility for a Healthier Workplace

Reflect on an experience as a registered nurse in which you were directly involved or witnessed incivility in the workplace and answer all questions/criteria with explanations and detail.
Provide a brief synopsis of the situation.
Describe how the situation made you feel. Discuss your response or the response of others involved.
What were the consequences of this situation? Provide an example of how this affected the work environment and outcomes.
How could the situation have been prevented? Discuss evidence-based strategies to support a healthy work environment.