This Is Who We Are: Promoting Professional Behaviors and Civility in Nursing Education

Background: Incivility, lack of professionalism, distrust and uncaring behaviors negatively impact the teaching and learning environment. Nurse educators concluded that many of these disturbing trends could be prevented and/or managed effectively if faculty and students were educated about expected professional behaviors.Aim: To promote a healthy academic community through the engagement in activities focused on professional behaviors among nursing faculty and students.Methods: Professional development activities were planned to promote a healthy academic community by educating faculty and student participants regarding professional behaviors in the teaching and learning environment. Faculty and student initiatives were designed to promote wellness, professionalism, civility, caring, and trust. The initial activities were entitled, “This Is Who We Are.”Results: Initial outcomes included a position statement created and signed by faculty to facilitate professional behaviors. Students created and signed a position statement exemplifying the desired behaviors of the cohort.Conclusions: Engagement activities are ongoing involving all faculty and all nursing student cohorts during their first semester in nursing school with additional training and updates planned. Initial anecdotal evidence from faculty and students regarding the benefits of these offerings are strongly supportive and demonstrate the beginning steps to a healthy academic environment in nursing education.