Joint Commission Alert Finds Doctors Who Bully Nurses Threaten Patient Safety, Calls for Zero Tolerance

Physicians who use "outbursts and condescending language" to bully nurses can make nurses afraid to question their performance, which can increase risk for medical errors, as well as the cost of care, according to a safety alert issued on Wednesday by the Joint Commission, an independent group that accredits most U.S. hospitals, the AP/Los Angeles Times reports. In response, Joint Commission President Mark Chassin said that the group next year will require hospitals to implement codes of conduct and processes that address such behavior or risk the loss of accreditation.

Peter Angood, vice president of the Joint Commission, said that physicians "should not be left off the hook" for such behavior. Chassin said that, although physicians face a high level of stress at hospitals, "there's a right way and a wrong way to manage that stress" (Johnson, AP/Los Angeles Times, 7/9).

The safety alert is available online.