|
 But a new study suggests infants may receive better care if their
parents take a deep breath and try harder to be nice. That’s because
rudeness by parents was linked to worse performances by medical
teams that care for babies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU),
researchers report in Pediatrics.
Lots of previous research has shown that exposure to even mildly
rude behavior can cause individuals to perform poorly on cognitive
tasks, become less creative and flexible, and act less social and
helpful, said lead study author Dr. Arieh Riskin of the University
of Tel Aviv in Israel.
“However, this current study is the first to demonstrate – what we
all feel and know from our experience in our daily practice – that
exposure to rudeness inflicted on medical teams by patients or
families of patients significantly harm medical teams' performance,”
Riskin said by email.
“Rudeness had adverse consequences not only on diagnostic and
intervention parameters of medical care, but also on team processes
– such as information and workload sharing, helping and
communication – that are central to patient care,” Riskin added.
For the study, 39 NICU medical teams participated in training
workshops including simulations of care for critically ill newborns
and preemies.
The teams were told they were participating in a training exercise
in debriefing techniques to discuss team performance. They didn’t
know the true purpose of the experiment was to test their response
to rudeness.
In each workshop, two teams were randomly assigned to experience one
of two scenarios, played by actors: a mother making rude comments
unrelated to the clinicians’ performance or a mother making neutral
inoffensive remarks.
Another two teams were randomly assigned to first participate in
computer-game exercises or writing-and-discussion exercises designed
to help them deal with rudeness, before being exposed to the
rudeness scenario.
Researchers tested scenarios that are common in the NICU like
treating babies with severe jaundice, shock tied to life-threatening
bleeding, or potentially fatal breathing difficulties or reduced
oxygen flow to the brain.
Judges observing the workshops rated how well teams performed tasks
like diagnosing problems, creating treatment plans, sharing
information, helping one another with patients, and communication.
[to top of second column] |
Teams exposed to rude mothers did worse at diagnosis, treatment
planning, information and workload sharing than when they
experienced mothers making neutral remarks, the study found.
Teams that did computer exercises designed to help them understand
and cope with rudeness before they went through the scenario with
the rude mother did better than teams that did the discussion-based
exercises.
Beyond its small size, limitations of the study include the
possibility that clinicians might perform differently in real-life
situations than in workshops.
Even so, the findings offer fresh evidence of the ways rudeness can
have an impact beyond just the person it’s aimed at, said Dr. Sandy
Hershcovis, a business researcher at the University of Calgary in
Canada who wasn’t involved in the study.
“As in all contexts, rude behavior is an ineffective approach to
getting the best service,” Hershcovis added by email.
The findings also highlight the need for doctors, nurses and other
clinicians to be mindful of how they communicate and learn how to be
respectful and deal with difficult patients, said Christine Porath,
a researcher at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business
in Washington, D.C.
Parents, too, should mind their manners even when they’re frustrated
and upset.
“People – including your child's doctors, nurses and other
clinicians – can't focus or process information as well when they
are even around rudeness,” Porath, who wasn’t involved in the study,
said by email.
“Your best shot at great care is to convey your message
respectfully,” Porath added. “Express your concern and wishes
passionately and compassionately; don't insult, belittle, or demean
them.”
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2j1JY9Q Pediatrics, online January 10, 2017.
[© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2017 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
