Table 1.
Definitions of disruptive behaviour by some prominent healthcare associations
| Organization | Definition | Germane examples | Excluded behaviours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian Medical Protective Association | Can interfere with communication between team member or with patients, and may negatively affect patient care and patient satisfaction109 | • Dismissive comments | • Good faith patient advocacy |
| • Derogatory comments | • Professionally written alerts | ||
| • Insensitive, uncaring, callous attitudes | • Complaining to an outside agency | ||
| • Inappropriate language | • Testifying against colleagues | ||
| • Profanity | |||
| • Bullying | |||
| • Threats | |||
| • Angry outbursts | |||
| • Demeaning conduct | |||
| • Condescending conduct | |||
| • Aggressive conduct | |||
| • Boundary issues | |||
| Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs, American Medical Association | Verbal or physical conduct, that does, or may, negatively affect patient care110 | • Foul language | • Good faith criticism |
| • Threatening language | |||
| • Aggressiveness | |||
| • Hyperactivity | |||
| • Intrusiveness | |||
| • Irritability | |||
| • Argumentativeness | |||
| Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospital Organizations (JCAHO) | Conduct that intimidates others to the extent that quality and safety are compromised 111 | • Verbal outbursts | None provided |
| • Physical threats | |||
| • Refusing to perform assigned tasks | |||
| • Quietly exhibiting uncooperative attitudes | |||
| • Reluctance to answer questions | |||
| • Condescending language26 |