RCP Incivility Needs Assessment

Abstract

Background: In clinical acute settings, healthcare providers work in stressful environments interfering with morale and quality of work including patient care. According to Porath et al. (2015), over half of people demonstrate incivility when they are work overloaded and do not have time to be nice. Porath et al. (2015) goes on to state that 71% of healthcare personnel connected disruptive behaviors (abusive, condescending or insulting conduct) to medical errors and 27% related to patient deaths. Current literature regarding respiratory care practitioners and incivility is minimal to non-existent which warranted the need to conduct an initial assessment in one particular pediatric respiratory care department. The PICO question for this project is among respiratory care practitioners, does workplace incivility decrease employee morale, retention, and productivity?: Description of the research design in sufficient detail to permit judgment of its validity. Must indicate statistical tests used. For studies involving human subjects, must indicate that Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval was obtained.

Methods: A 15-item questionnaire (Healthy Workforce Institute’s (2018) Disruptive Behavior Assessment) was sent to 172 RCPs through the use of a paper survey.

Results: There was a 41% (n=73) return rate of surveys which showed mild incivility with 38% rarely experienced; 34% rarely witnessed. Top behaviors of incivility co-worker eye rolling, uneven work assignments based on favoritism, and co-workers being mocked or insulted indirectly. Data was analyzed using a Pearson Chi-Square method which yielded t-tests and P-values for significance.

Conclusions: Despite these mild levels, this contributes low department morale, lack of trust, and incivility among individuals warranting the need for further investigations. This needs assessment project has served to be pioneering work in the area of RCP incivility.