Coffee Break: Breaking the Cycle of Bullying in Healthcare, One Cup at a Time

Healthy work cultures are built when leaders step in early and make it clear what behavior is and isn’t acceptable on their teams.

In this episode, Dr. Elizabeth (Liz) Menschner, CEO of the Pennsylvania Organization of Nurse Leaders, joins Dr. Renee Thompson to discuss why the leader’s role in shaping culture matters more than policy does. Liz shares how unit-level leaders can spot subtle disruptive behaviors, such as eye rolls, sarcastic comments, and unfair assignments, and address them in the moment, so the team never wonders whether anything is being done. She explores how rounding, list...

Summary:

Joy sounds like the first thing to cut when healthcare gets hard. At Connecticut Children’s, it is what keeps nurses speaking up.

In this episode, Deanna Hill, manager of the Center for Professional Development’s New Graduate Transition to Practice program at Connecticut Children’s, and Sarah Matney, Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer, discuss how joy, kindness, and psychological safety get built on purpose. Deanna traces her interest in joy to a hard stretch in her own life, then shows how the IHI framework turned that instinct into measurable work. Sarah descri...

Workforce well-being is not a perk. It is a leadership and organizational strategy that shapes how people experience their work, develop professionally, and provide safe care.

In this episode, Dr. Valerie Morrison, Senior Director of Student Health Services at the University of North Florida, joins Dr. Renee Thompson to explore how leaders can create healthier work environments by listening to teams, acting on data, and building trust through consistent presence. Dr. Morrison shares how a personal loss during her Navy career shaped her commitment to understanding workplace stressors and supporting the whole person. She discusses how the...

Strong healthcare teams are built when leaders take the time to understand the people behind the roles.

In this episode, Dr. Nikki Gruebling, Senior Vice President of Member Networks and Operations at Vizient, joins Dr. Renee Thompson to discuss why relationship-building is one of healthcare’s most important leadership skills. Nikki shares how trust, curiosity, and genuine listening have helped her navigate complex environments, solve problems, and bring people together, while exploring how different generations in nursing can learn from one another. She encourages leaders to move beyond focusing on generational differences and instead recognize the strengths ea...

Bullying and incivility cannot be solved by silence, one-time training, or expecting employees to manage disruptive behavior on their own.

In this solo episode, Dr. Renee Thompson shares practical best practices healthcare leaders can use during Bullying Prevention Month and beyond. She explains why organizations must stop normalizing bad behavior, create regular opportunities to discuss workplace culture, and intervene when overt behavior occurs. Renee also offers scripts for responding without becoming defensive, addressing concerns leaders did not personally witness, and keeping difficult conversations focused. She closes by explaining why lasting culture change requires a system-wide approach that...

Transition to practice doesn’t end when a nurse finishes residency; it happens every time a nurse steps into a new role.

In this episode, Dr. Lya M. Cartwright-Stroupe joins Dr. Renee Thompson to discuss why healthcare organizations need to rethink how they support nurses throughout their careers. Dr. Lya M. Cartwright-Stroupe explains that moving from bedside nursing into charge nurse, educator, manager, director, or executive roles creates new responsibilities and vulnerabilities that require intentional development. She shares how structured transition-to-practice programs, leadership fellowships, mentorship, and competency-based education can better prepare nurses for these changes. Drawing on he...

Leading a multigenerational workforce requires flexibility, curiosity, and clear communication standards.

In this episode, Dr. Renee Thompson speaks with Priscilla Meyers, a neonatal nurse practitioner, speaker, consultant, and leadership coach at the Healthy Workforce Institute, about leading teams made up of different generations. Priscilla explains how generational experiences can shape communication and feedback preferences, and why leaders should ask questions rather than make assumptions. She shares practical ways to tailor communication, establish boundaries, and provide neutral, behavior-focused feedback while maintaining consistent expectations. Priscilla also discusses why patient safety conversations should follow a standardized approach, how frequent feedback...

Triangulation damages trust, weakens relationships, and prevents healthcare teams from addressing problems directly.

In this solo episode, Dr. Renee Thompson explains how triangulation occurs when someone complains about a coworker without first speaking directly to that person. She explores why employees avoid difficult conversations, including fear of retaliation, concern about damaging relationships, and a lack of assertive communication skills. Renee also shares practical scripts leaders can use to interrupt triangulation, encourage peer-to-peer communication, and coach employees through workplace concerns. She emphasizes that addressing triangulation is essential for strengthening psychological safety, teamwork, and patient care.

Tune...

Strong perioperative teams are built when leaders make culture as important as clinical performance.

In this episode, Molly Kucera, Associate Director of the Ambulatory Care Surgery Center at University of Iowa Health Care, discusses how perioperative leaders can build stronger relationships among nurses, physicians, and support staff to foster a more collaborative workplace. She explains that addressing disruptive behavior through compassionate, face-to-face conversations helps preserve trust while encouraging accountability. Molly also highlights the importance of regular interdisciplinary meetings to identify concerns, strengthen team dynamics, and solve challenges collaboratively. Throughout the conversation, she emphasizes that ongoing culture discussions...

Emotional intelligence is not a soft skill; it is a power skill every healthcare leader needs.

In this episode, Dr. Renee Thompson speaks with Ama Mathewos, CEO of Evolve Lead Succeed, about the role of emotional intelligence in building healthy workplace cultures. Ama explains that self-awareness is the foundation of effective leadership and emphasizes the importance of self-management, emotional regulation, and pausing before reacting during difficult conversations and high-stress situations. She shares practical strategies for strengthening emotional intelligence, including naming emotions, recognizing triggers, setting boundaries, using scripts, and developing small daily habits that support well-being. Ama also...

Well-being cannot be treated as a separate initiative. It has to be built into how healthcare organizations operate every day.

In this episode, Alexa DeFeo, Enterprise Director of Colleague Well-Being, and Nicole Escobedo, Senior Director of Clinician Well-Being at Jefferson Health, share how their organization supports the well-being of more than 65,000 employees across a growing health system. They explain why well-being requires both strong benefits and operational changes that reduce administrative burden, improve workflows, and enable clinicians to work at the top of their licenses. Alexa and Nicole highlight initiatives including ambient AI, inbox management, leadership development...

Healthy workplace culture does not happen by chance; it starts when leaders listen, respond, and take consistent action.

In this episode, Dr. Renee Thompson speaks with Kristie Huff, Chief Nursing and Operations Executive at HealthPark Medical Center, part of Lee Health, about building and sustaining a healthy workforce culture. Kristie explains how listening to nurses and leaders revealed recurring issues with bullying, cliques, intimidation, and unhealthy team dynamics that pointed to a broader need for leadership development and practical support. She describes how HealthPark responded by making workforce culture a strategic priority, engaging clinical nurses through shared...

What does it take to build a healthy workplace culture when teams are facing adversity?

In this episode, Dr. Kate FitzPatrick, Chief Nurse Executive for Jefferson Health, discusses how leaders can foster healthy work cultures through empathy, presence, and intentional leadership. She reflects on her own experiences with workplace bullying and how those moments shaped her leadership philosophy. Dr. FitzPatrick also explains why leaders should act as cultural anthropologists by listening deeply and understanding their teams' needs. She shares practical insights on leading with grace and hope to strengthen trust and connection during challenging times.

...

Charge nurses set the tone for the entire department, especially when leaders are not in the room.

In this episode, Dr. Renee Thompson discusses a common challenge healthcare leaders face: charge nurses who are clinically strong but struggle with professionalism, communication, and respect. Drawing on the Healthy Workforce Institute’s Department Culture Change initiative, which has worked with more than 135 departments, Renee shares that every department assessed had some concern involving charge nurses. She explains why leaders often avoid difficult conversations and outlines three practical strategies: having honest conversations, providing training focused on the “people” side of leader...

Strong teams are not built solely on familiarity; they are built on competence, confidence, and shared standards.

In this episode, Dr. David Wyatt, CEO and Executive Director of the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN), discusses what healthcare organizations can learn from high-performing perioperative teams and why overall team experience may have a greater impact on patient outcomes than simply having the same people work together repeatedly. Drawing on his doctoral research, he explains how evidence-based tools and effective collaboration, like those in aviation teams, enable clinicians to work safely even when they have never worked together...

A thriving healthcare system begins with leaders who prioritize their people, ensuring that a supportive culture drives exceptional patient care and outcomes.

In this episode, Dr. Stacy Alves, Chief Nurse Executive at Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center, shares her leadership philosophy that when leaders take great care of their staff, those teams are better equipped to deliver exceptional patient care. She explains how creating a positive work environment through collaboration, recognition, and providing the right tools empowers caregivers to succeed. Dr. Alves also discusses a successful performance improvement initiative in which a multidisciplinary team's engagement led...

Healthy workplace cultures are built when leaders consistently address disruptive behavior, empower employees to speak up, and clearly define how team members are expected to treat one another.

In this episode, Dr. Melissa Fritz, Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer at Methodist Hospital, joins Dr. Renee Thompson to discuss how Methodist Hospital transformed its emergency department culture following significant turnover, workplace strain, and a serious patient safety event. Melissa explains how executive support, interprofessional collaboration, frontline involvement, and consistent leadership helped create an environment where employees felt safer raising concerns and addressing disrespectful...

What if well-being in healthcare is not just about self-care, but about changing the systems that make people feel depleted in the first place?

In this episode, Dr. Tim Cunningham, Vice President of Business Development for the Professional Nursing Validation Company, explores how professionalism, compassion, and systemic well-being intersect in healthcare. He discusses the new Professionally Validated Nurse credential and why nurses need more ways to demonstrate readiness, leadership, and professional identity beyond the NCLEX. Tim also shares lessons from his work in healthcare well-being, emphasizing that organizations must address workplace conditions that drive stress and burnout...

Innovation in healthcare works best when nurses are given the time, support, and trust to solve the problems they see every day.

In this episode, Dr. Marion Leary joins Dr. Renee Thompson to discuss how human-centered, equity-centered design thinking can empower healthcare leaders to create more practical solutions. Marion explains why leaders must resist the urge to be immediate "fixers" and instead focus on deeply listening to end-users to ensure they are solving the right problems. She also highlights the Johnson & Johnson Nurse Innovation Fellowship, which encourages senior nurse leaders to leverage empathy and co-create workplace improvements...

One disruptive voice can derail an entire conversation, but only if you let it.

In this episode, Dr. Renee Thompson addresses a challenge many healthcare leaders face: staff members who hijack meetings and derail important conversations before they can truly begin. She explores the common behaviors that disrupt productive dialogue, including revisiting old grievances, blaming leadership, interrupting others, and speaking as though they represent the entire team, while also highlighting leadership responses that often make the situation worse. Renee explains why meeting hijacking is often a power move and emphasizes the importance of agendas, clear boundaries, and...

Difficult conversations may never feel easy, but leaders can become more skilled and confident in having them.

In this throwback episode of Coffee Break, Dr. Renee Thompson speaks with Diane Salter, Director of Surgical Services at WellSpan Health Ephrata and a consultant for The Healthy Workforce Institute, about addressing disruptive behavior, giving honest feedback, and holding employees accountable with compassion. Diane shares examples from surgical services, including conversations involving physician behavior and a highly personal employee concern, to show why leaders cannot avoid uncomfortable situations. She explains how self-awareness, preparation, empathy, and curiosity can help leaders communicate...

What do you do when employees are glued to their phones during meetings, refuse feedback, or repeatedly communicate with sarcasm and disrespect?

In this episode, Dr. Renee Thompson answers leadership questions about phone use in meetings, self-awareness, workplace respect, and disrespectful communication. She encourages leaders to address problematic behaviors directly and to set clear expectations, rather than ignoring issues and complaining about them later. Renee explains that some employees are open to feedback and growth, while others may not be capable or willing to change, requiring leaders to make difficult decisions. She also emphasizes that respect and...

Human connection in healthcare does not take more time; it takes more intention.

In this episode, Dr. Mary Jo Assi, Associate Chief Nursing Officer and Partner, Strategic Consulting at Press Ganey, discusses the evolving challenges facing healthcare teams and the critical role compassionate, connected care plays in improving both patient and staff experiences. She shares insights from national healthcare data trends, including rising workplace violence, post-pandemic patient trust issues, and ongoing challenges in emergency departments. Mary Jo explains how intentional communication, empathy, and simple human connection can significantly improve patient experience without adding more time to clinicians’ wo...

Survey results don’t change culture. What leaders do with them does.

In this episode, Dr. Renee Thompson shares practical strategies for healthcare leaders navigating difficult survey results and uncertainty about the next steps. Drawing from her experience as a nurse manager, she explains why leaders often take poor feedback personally, how delayed communication erodes trust, and why teams disengage when surveys never lead to visible action. Renee outlines a clear approach for moving forward by sharing results early, focusing on five key metrics, involving staff in prioritizing improvements, and maintaining consistent communication to demonstrate progress. She al...

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"...

A healthy work culture does not happen by accident; it is built through shared ownership, visible leadership, and a clear commitment to helping people feel heard.

In this episode, Aine Davern, Deputy Director of Nursing at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, Ireland, shares how her organization used the Pathway to Excellence framework to strengthen an already positive practice environment after the challenges of the pandemic. She discusses how the hospital’s journey began through the Magnet4Europe research project and evolved into a deeper focus on staff well-being, belonging, meaningful recognition, professional development, and shared de...

Summary: 

Leadership isn’t what you say; it’s what your team sees you do.

In this episode, Jennylynde Renteria-Packham, founder of Courage Coaching and a Registered Nurse and Coach with more than 30 years of experience in Rehabilitation and Long-Term Care settings, discusses how leaders shape culture through self-awareness, behavior, and intentional communication. She explains that effective leadership begins with mastering internal self-talk and consistently walking the talk to build trust and credibility. She highlights vulnerability, transparency, and emotional regulation, especially through tools like the powerful pause, as essential to fostering psychological safety and accountability. She a...

Healthcare doesn’t have a burnout problem; it has a trust problem.

In this episode, Hunter Joslin, CEO of Joslin Insight, shares how his company evolved from traditional consumer marketing roots into a healthcare data analytics and workforce engagement platform. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Joslin Insight partnered with organizations like AONL and the ANA to conduct large-scale longitudinal studies, uncovering critical workforce challenges, especially the overlooked struggles of nurse managers. Their research revealed a deep breakdown of trust between frontline nurses and leadership, alongside rising concerns like financial strain, workplace culture issues, and outdated leadership approaches. In re...

Healthy culture work does not fail because people do not care. It fails when leaders treat it as a side project rather than weaving it into everyday practice.

In this episode, Dr. Renee Thompson reflects on questions she received during the AONL conference and shares practical guidance for some of the most common culture challenges in healthcare. She explains why disruptive executives must be addressed by peers who already have credibility and trust, why senior leaders should avoid bypassing department managers to gather staff complaints, and how physician engagement often starts with one willing champion. She also...

A healthy workplace culture does not happen by accident. It takes leaders who are supported, developed, and equipped with practical tools to address challenges in real time.

In this episode, Dr. Karen Uttaro, Senior Director of Professional Practice, Quality, and Regulatory at UMass Memorial Medical Center, explains how her organization turned post-pandemic leadership turnover into an opportunity to rethink leadership development and strengthen workplace culture. She emphasizes that leaders need structured support, dedicated time, and practical tools to effectively address incivility, which led UMass to implement bite-sized learning, peer discussions, and ongoing reinforcement. Karen also connects these...

Cultivating a nourished environment free from violence. 

In this episode, Dr. John Voight, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Memorial Hermann Woodlands Medical Center, talks about shifting from infrastructure-based security to clinical prevention strategies. He discusses implementing diagnosis-specific training and using early identification tools such as STAMP to anticipate aggression. He also highlights the importance of leadership engagement through "listening tours" and town halls to build staff trust. This episode focuses on creating a culture of safety by moving from reactive security to proactive, compassionate clinical care and leadership accountability. 

Tune in to cultivate a...

What if HR stopped being the “principal’s office” and became your most trusted partner?

In this episode, Shana Scales discusses transforming HR into a relationship-driven business partner at Lake Charles Memorial Health System. She explains how trust, transparency, and frontline engagement reshape HR's support for leaders and employees. She also shares how cultural influencers and continuous feedback loops create real organizational change. Finally, she introduces the “Five C’s” framework that anchors culture and strategy.

Tune in to learn how HR can drive culture, trust, and real business impact.

About Shana Scales:

Shana...

In a healthcare environment where complexity, uncertainty, and burnout have become the norm, leaders need more than better tactics. They need a different way of thinking.

In this episode, Dr. Michael Hein, Senior Vice President at MEDI Leadership, executive coach, and author of Shifting Toward Unorthodoxy, explores why traditional leadership models no longer serve today’s healthcare systems. He explains how leaders often respond to uncertainty by reaching for control, whether through policies, procedures, or rigid decision-making, but that instinct can slowly erode autonomy and damage relationships. Dr. Hein shares why leadership today is less about having th...

Addressing disruptive behavior at work is not just a people issue; it is a business risk.

In this episode, host Dr. Renee Thompson explains why HR should not be brought in only after workplace issues escalate. She discusses how disruptive behavior, bullying, and incivility drive turnover, disengagement, medical errors, and financial losses, and why leaders must stop treating these issues as secondary. Dr. Thompson argues that HR is uniquely positioned to help leaders build a strong business case for change, identify patterns, and support accountability through better documentation and strategy. She also shares practical ways leaders can...

You can’t build a true culture of patient safety without psychological safety.

In this episode, Dr. Renee Thompson sits down with Dr. Stephanie Stovall, Chief Quality Officer at OSF HealthCare, to unpack the very real link between workplace culture and clinical outcomes. Stephanie explains why fear of being “picked apart” or punished makes people less likely to speak up. That silence puts patients at risk. She shares a pivotal early-career story about a medication decision, and how strong feedback, paired with a follow-up conversation, can protect patients and build confidence instead of shame. They also dig into w...

Are you ready to transform a toxic work environment into a culture of kindness and professional respect?

In this episode, Linda Crockett, Founder of the Canadian Institute of Workplace Bullying Resources, discusses the critical strategies needed to identify and dismantle bullying and incivility within the healthcare industry. She shares her professional expertise on fostering psychological safety and provides actionable insights for those navigating high-stress medical environments. Furthermore, she highlights the importance of organizational accountability in protecting the mental health of frontline workers. By emphasizing the need for systemic change, the conversation illustrates how leadership and individual staff...

Healthcare workforce shortages won’t be solved in college; they start in high school.

In this episode, Dr. Bryan Sisk, Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive for Memorial Hermann Health System, discusses how the innovative HEAL High School is building a sustainable healthcare workforce by investing in students as early as ninth grade. He shares how a first-of-its-kind partnership creates a “working hospital” inside a high school, equipping students with industry-recognized certifications and real-world clinical exposure. He explains why mentorship, professional standards, and communication skills are just as critical as clinical training in preparing the next genera...

Eliminating workplace bullying doesn’t start with policies; it starts with vision.

In this episode, host Dr. Renee Thompson discusses why a leader’s clear, intentional vision is the missing ingredient for addressing workplace bullying and incivility. She explains why “vision first, culture second” is essential for shaping consistent behaviors and preventing teams from defaulting to unhealthy norms. Dr. Thompson shares how a practical, department-specific vision acts as a guidepost for daily decision-making and accountability. She also offers real-world examples of how leaders can translate vision into observable behaviors that create respectful, psychologically safe work environments.

Tune i...

Tolerating one toxic high performer can quietly damage an entire team.

In this episode, host Dr. Renee Thompson discusses how leaders can effectively address bullying and incivility from clinically competent but disruptive employees. She explains why vague expectations allow bad behavior to persist and how clearly defined behavioral standards create accountability. Drawing on the “love ’em, but leave ’em” approach, Dr. Thompson outlines how to hold difficult but respectful conversations that balance truth with grace. She emphasizes that professionalism and kindness are as essential to patient outcomes as technical skill, and must be treated as non-negotiable.

Tune i...

Burnout isn’t a personal failure. It’s often the result of misaligned values, poor boundaries, and leaders who don’t realize they’re running on empty.

In this episode, Dr. Andrea Coyle, Chief Clinical and Innovation Officer at SE Healthcare, shares her personal journey through burnout, describing how constant organizational change and exclusion from leadership spaces eroded her sense of value and initially led her to misinterpret warning signs like cynicism and exhaustion. She explains the concept of “humility through acceptance,” highlighting how asking for help, setting boundaries, and improving communication can break the cycle of burnout. And...