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EP 138

EP.138 :How Healthcare Leaders Build a Healthy Work Culture That Lasts

23:47

min

Q&A Episode

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In This Episode

A healthy workforce does not happen by accident. It is built through honest conversations, shared ownership, and consistent action. In this solo episode of Coffee Break, Dr. Renee Thompson focuses on incivility as a critical precursor to worsening workplace behaviors and potential workplace violence.

Using a powerful, true story of a nurse whose unaddressed behavioral issues escalated from simple eye-rolling to physical aggression against a charge nurse, Renee highlights a pattern where leaders often ignore low-level disruptions because they are tired or overwhelmed. She breaks down actionable strategies to stop this cycle early, including the “72-hour rule” for feedback, creating a behavioral compact, and shifting culture from a leadership burden to a shared team responsibility.

Tune in to learn how to address disruptive behaviors in the moment, equip your frontline leaders, and build a sustainable culture of mutual respect.

About Dr. Renee Thompson:

Dr. Renee Thompson is a leading authority on creating healthy work cultures by eliminating bullying and incivility in healthcare. With more than 31 years of experience as a clinical nurse, educator, quality manager, and executive leader, she has become one of the most sought-after experts on workplace culture. As CEO and Founder of the Healthy Workforce Institute, Renee works with healthcare organizations worldwide to equip leaders with the tools they need to cultivate professional, respectful, and supportive teams.

Renee is a published author, award-winning speaker, and one of only 30 nurses worldwide to earn the Certified Speaking Professional designation. She also serves on The Joint Commission’s Workplace Violence Technical Advisory Panel and has been recognized globally for her thought leadership and advocacy.

What You'll Learn
  • ✓ Unaddressed low-level behaviors like eye-rolling or heavy sighing give individuals a boost of power to escalate their actions over time .
  • ✓ Leaders have a 72-hour window to address a situation before the human brain begins to alter or misremember the event.
  • ✓ Equipping and empowering charge nurses with precise scripts is essential for stopping disruptive behavior as soon as it happens.
  • ✓ Establishing a “compact of professional behaviors” helps teams clearly outline how they will, and will not, treat one another.
  • ✓ True culture change is a shared responsibility, requiring the entire team to call out incidents like gossip or rudeness.
  • ✓ Consistency in messaging across every shift, huddle, and meeting is what ultimately drives long-term results
Links & Resources

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Links & Resources

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