Perceptions of unprofessional behavior in the clinical workplace among healthcare staff

Abstract

Background: Professionalism among healthcare providers is essential to fostering trust, ensuring patient safety, and maintaining effective communication within healthcare teams. Despite general professionalism among providers, unprofessional behavior—such as exclusion, blaming, and lack of responsiveness—persists, with negative impacts on clinical outcomes and provider well-being. This study investigates the prevalence and types of unprofessional behaviors within an academic medical center, analyzing how these behaviors vary by role, gender, and department.