Colorectal Surgery Resident Manual

RESIDENT PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT POLICY

Good working relationships, teamwork and appropriate conduct are necessary among all members of the health care team to facilitate quality patient care. All members of the team must treat others with respect, courtesy and dignity and conduct themselves in a professional and cooperative manner. Disruptive behavior is not acceptable.

Behavior that is unusual, unorthodox, or different is not alone sufficient to classify as “disruptive behavior”. Examples of inappropriate conduct might include, but are not limited to:

1. *abusive or profane language
2. *degrading or demeaning comments (verbal or written)
3. *aggressive comments to others that are personal, irrelevant or go beyond the bounds of fair professional comments
4. *inappropriate physical contact
5. *yelling at patients, their families and/or other members of the health care team
6. *threats and/or physical assaults on anyone.
7. *behaviors of omission: chronic or recalcitrant failure to comply with stated program or hospital procedures or policies, answer pages, complete medical records, etc.

Procedures
Any individual who observes disruptive behavior by a resident or fellow shall make a written report of the behavior to the program director or to the complainant’s supervisor who will then forward the report to the program director. Documentation of the disruptive behavior shall include 1) the date, time and location of the questionable behavior; 2) a description of the behavior limited to direct observations and including factual objective language as much as possible 3) circumstances that precipitated the situation 4) actual or expected consequences, if any, to patient care 5) record of any action taken to remedy the situation and 6) the name of the individual who is making the report, as well as any other witnesses.

All parties in the complaint process are obligated to protect the privacy of all persons involved and the program director will take reasonable steps to protect confidentiality of the complainant. However, confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. Retaliation for reporting disruptive behavior or participating in an investigation of reported disruptive behavior is strictly prohibited.
Behaviors or incidents occurring at a hospital site will be addressed by the program in conjunction with appropriate hospital staff, according to the Code of Conduct policy of the appropriate hospital. Incidents involving inappropriate sexual comments or behaviors will be addressed by the program in conjunction with appropriate hospital or SIU SOM staff, according to the Sexual Harassment Policy. Behaviors which indicate the presence of impairment in the resident or fellow will be addressed according to the Impairment Policy. If the Program Director determines that disruptive activity has occurred, it will be addressed in accordance with the Academic Deficiencies and Corrective Action policy as a deficit in the area of professionalism.

Revised and adopted by the GMEC October 20, 2006

Go forward | Go back