In today’s complex healthcare environment, nursing professional development (NPD) Practitioners play a critical role in shaping workplace culture, supporting leaders, and equipping nurses with the skills needed to work effectively and respectfully. Yet bullying and incivility continue to undermine psychological safety, learning, and retention across healthcare settings. Research from the AONL Foundation, Joslin’s 5th Longitudinal Study, and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) highlights the widespread impact of these behaviors, with the majority of healthcare professionals reporting exposure to incivility and bullying often with significant cultural and financial consequences. NPD practitioners are frequently called upon to address these issues through education, coaching, and professional practice initiatives, even when the root causes are deeply embedded in systems, norms, and leadership behaviors. Drawing on national research and the work of the Healthy Workforce Institute, this keynote explores the unique and powerful role NPD practitioners play in disrupting the cycle of bullying and incivility. Participants will examine internal and external data, common patterns that perpetuate disruptive behaviors, and evidence-based strategies NPD practitioners can use to influence accountability, strengthen psychological safety, and support leaders and teams in creating healthier work environments. This timely and practical keynote equips NPD practitioners with actionable tools to move beyond awareness and toward sustainable culture change without taking on responsibility that doesn’t belong to them.

Presented by Renee Thompson