Throwing Things

Q: "I am a nurse in the O.R. at a local hospital. At times, out of frustration, certain physicians will throw things at us during surgery--soiled sponges, gauze, and sometimes even instruments. Our hospital has a motto of being 'Physician Friendly,' and yet our greatest asset is our people--all of our people--and the respect that we demonstrate to each other. How do I hold a difficult conversation about this behavior 'on the fly?'"   A: There are really two conversations that need to be held in this situation: a conversation about emotions and an expectations conversation. The Emotional Conversation When someone demonstrates defensive or reactionary...