Peer messengers promote nursing professionalism, study finds

A tool to address disrespectful workplace behaviors through trained peer-to-peer messaging can be implemented successfully in the nursing workforce with appropriate support, a study found. Published in the Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, the study used the co-worker observation system, a tool that has decreased instances of unprofessional behaviors among physicians and advanced practice providers. Nurses at three academic medical center sites could report unprofessional behavior through the institution’s electronic reporting system. Natural language processing software screened the complaints and referred them to a trained peer messenger to share the observations with the offending nurse. Of the 1,367 instances of unprofessional behavior reported, 48.8% involved clear and respectful communication (Joint Commission news release, 1/3/23)