Carolyn Buppert, Law Office of Carolyn Buppert &

Eileen T. O’Grady, Founder, The School of Wellness, LLC

Interacting with difficult others in the workplace is a common occurrence.  Attorney Carolyn Buppert and Wellness Coach and Nurse Practitioner Dr. Eileen O’Grady are contacted by nurses in distress all over the United States because of rude, bullying, and toxic behaviors in the health care setting.  They want to know whether there are legal remedies that will free them from their situation. They want to know how to make it stop. This workshop will use case studies to explore and define illegal workplace behaviors including harassment and discrimination. The presenters will offer strategies on how to stop toxic workplace behavior and outline the evidence needed if there is a legal remedy.

Often, bad workplace behavior isn’t illegal. For example, bullying is not illegal. Coworkers may be narcissists, emotional vampires, borderline personalities, and those that engage in power struggles.  The presenters offer a triage system to help identify the type of difficult person one is confronting and evidence-based strategies to mitigate the stress effect of these difficult people.  Accurately identifying the type of difficult other is a key initial step in knowing how to best handle these challenges so that the nurse is protected and the toxic interaction is de-escalated.