Unprofessional Research Articles

Predictors of academic integrity in undergraduate and graduate-entry masters occupational therapy students.

Background: Academic integrity is viewed as honest and responsible scholarship and the moral code of academia. Reported incidences of academic dishonesty among health professional students are widespread and may be an indicator of future unprofessional behaviour in the workplace. Aim: This study investigated the potential predictors of academic integrity in undergraduate and graduate-entry masters occupational therapy students. Method: Occupational therapy students from five universities (n = 701 participants; 609 undergraduates; 92 graduate-entry masters) were recruited. Data were collected via a two-part self-report questionnaire that included six standardised scales: Academic Dishonesty Scale; Academic Dishonesty in the Classroom Setting Scale; Academic Dishonesty in the Clinical/Practice Education Setting Scale; Moral Development Scale for Professionals; Academic Dishonesty Tendency Scale; and Perceived Academic Sources of Stress. Data analysis involved multi-linear regression analyses with bootstrapping. Result: Significant predictors of academic integrity in occupational therapy students included age, gender, grade point average, public meaning, moral practice, general tendency towards cheating, tendency towards dishonesty in the conduct and reporting of research findings, tendency towards not providing appropriate references and acknowledgements and pressures to perform well academically. Conclusion: These findings will assist educators in identifying vulnerable students potentially prone to academic integrity infringements and implementing proactive strategies with them. Further studies are recommended to explore further predictors of students’ academic integrity.

The prevalence and impact of unprofessional behaviour among hospital workers: a survey in seven Australian hospitals.

To identify individual and organisational factors associated with the prevalence, type and impact of unprofessional behaviours among hospital employees. Staff in seven metropolitan tertiary hospitals operated by one health care provider in three states were surveyed (Dec 2017 - Nov 2018) about their experience of unprofessional behaviours - 21 classified as incivility or bullying and five as extreme unprofessional behaviour (eg, sexual or physical assault) - and their perceived impact on personal wellbeing, teamwork and care quality, as well as about their speaking-up skills. Frequency of experiencing 26 unprofessional behaviours during the preceding 12 months; factors associated with experiencing unprofessional behaviour and its impact, including self-reported speaking-up skills. Valid surveys (more than 60% of questions answered) were submitted by 5178 of an estimated 15213 staff members (response rate, 34.0%). 4846 respondents (93.6%; 95% CI, 92.9-94.2%) reported experiencing at least one unprofessional behaviour during the preceding year, including 2009 (38.8%; 95% CI, 37.5-40.1%) who reported weekly or more frequent incivility or bullying; 753 (14.5%; 95% CI, 13.6-15.5%) reported extreme unprofessional behaviour. Nurses and non-clinical staff members aged 25-34 years reported incivility/bullying and extreme behaviour more often than other staff and age groups respectively. Staff with self-reported speaking-up skills experienced less incivility/bullying (odds ratio [OR], 0.53; 95% CI, 0.46-0.61) and extreme behaviour (OR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67-0.97), and also less frequently an impact on their personal wellbeing (OR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.38-0.51). Unprofessional behaviour is common among hospital workers. Tolerance for low level poor behaviour may be an enabler for more serious misbehaviour that endangers staff wellbeing and patient safety. Training staff about speaking up is required, together with organisational processes for effectively eliminating unprofessional behaviour.

A narrative study on work place based conflicts in Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department.

To explore the patterns in research and underlying factors of conflicts in obstetrics and gynaecology and its effect on restricting the quality of education and training of residents. The narrative study was conducted at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, Lady Aitchison Hospital, King Edward Medical University, Lahore, Pakistan, from October 2018 to January 2019, and comprised narrative essays by residents associated with the department. Data was subjected to thematic analysis. Of the 27 residents, 26(96.3%) were females and 1(3.7%) was male. Overall, 19(70.3%) were aged 25-30 years and 8(29.6%) were aged 30-35 years. Three levels of conflict were identified: organisational, interpersonal and individual. Causes of organisational conflict included inadequate facilities, poor security and unclear duty appointments. Interpersonal factors included lack of communication, lack of patient autonomy, non-cooperative co-workers, illiteracy of attendants and unprofessional behaviour. Individual factors were overburdening duty hours and duty negligence. There was found to be a need to design education programmes, like workshops, that may enable post-graduate residents in obstetrics and gynaecology to handle conflicts at workplace.

Professionalism in Using Online Social Networking Tool: An Assessment of LIS Students’ Facebook Profiles

With the advent of social media, students must not only be aware of professionalism in their face to face interactions, but also in the electronic environment. The aim of this study was to assess the level of online professionalism on Facebook profiles publicly accessible by students. A research was carried out through a new Facebook account of all students at the Institute of Information Sciences, Noakhali Science and Technology University. Demographic details and photographs / comments of unprofessional behavior were recorded for each individual Facebook profile. There was a little alarming level of unprofessional content visible on student Facebook profiles. Students should be fully aware of their professional responsibility in the context of using social media.

Medical students\u2019 affective reactions to workplace experiences: qualitative investigation in a Chinese cultural context

BackgroundCompassion fatigue, unprofessional behavior, and burnout are prompting educators to examine medical students’ affective reactions to workplace experiences. Attributes of both students and learning environments are influenced by their socio-cultural backgrounds. To prevent ‘educational cultural hegemony’, opinion leaders have advocated research in under-represented cultural contexts, of which Asia is a prime example. This study aimed to broaden the discourse of medical education by answering the question: how do students react affectively to workplace experiences in a Chinese cultural context?MethodsIn 2014, the authors recruited five female and seven male Taiwanese clerkship students to make 1–2 audio-diary recordings per week for 12 weeks describing affective experiences, to which they had consciously reacted. The authors analyzed transcripts of these recordings thematically in the original Mandarin and prepared a thick description of their findings, including illustrative extracts. An English-speaking education researcher helped them translate this into English, constantly comparing the interpretation with the original, untranslated data.Results(Mis) matches between their visions of future professional life and clerkship experiences influenced participants’ affective reactions, thoughts, and behaviors. Participants managed these reactions by drawing on a range of personal and social resources, which influenced the valence, strength, and nature of their reactions. This complex set of interrelationships was influenced by culturally determined values and norms, of which this report provides a thick description.ConclusionTo avoid educational cultural hegemony, educators need to understand professional behavior in terms of complex interactions between culturally-specific attributes of individual students and learning environments.Trial registrationThe ethics committee of the National Taiwan University (NTU) Hospital gave research ethics approval (20130864RINB).

The hard talk: Dealing with the disruptive physician

Disruptive physician behavior, defined by the American Medical Association, is ‘personal conduct, verbal, or physical that has the potential to negatively affect patient care or the ability to work with other members of the healthcare team’ (American Medical Association, 2008). This type of behavior can undermine a culture of safety, foster medical errors, contribute to preventable adverse outcomes, increase the cost of care, and cause qualified staff to leave institutions. This review will discuss the scope of the problem, contributing factors, and strategies for prevention and addressing this type of unprofessional behavior.

Turning unprofessional behaviors around using Holmes' reflection approach: a randomized controlled study.

Many medical schools around the world have included professionalism training in their formal curriculum. However, these efforts may not be adequate; given the exposure of students to unprofessional behaviors in the clinical settings. In the present study, we aimed to design, implement, and evaluate a longitudinal program to improve professionalism among medical students upon their transition to clinical settings. A total of 75 medical students were enrolled in the study and randomly assigned to two groups. The control group did not receive any training, while for the intervention group; a 10-hour program through 16 weeks was organized based on the Holmes' reflection approach. The effectiveness of the program was evaluated by measuring three outcomes in both groups. Data analysis was performed using paired t-test and Multiple Linear Regression. Scores of judgment of professionalism increased in the intervention group (from 7.56 to 10.17; P< 0.001), while there was no significant improvement in the control group’s scores. Students' attitudes towards professionalism and their professional behaviors did not change significantly.Based on our findings, the Holmes reflection approach helps students improve their cognitive base of professionalism. Long-term follow-up and further qualitative studies will help us better understand the effects of this approach on other desirable outcomes.

Positive and negative professionalism experiences of genetic counseling students in the United States and Canada.

Many aspects of genetic counseling training programs have been examined over the years. However, no study has explored professional or unprofessional behaviors genetic counseling graduate students experience during their training, and how these behaviors influence satisfaction with their training. This exploratory study examined students' experiences with program leaders, instructors, supervisors, and other trainees. Specific experiences included actions of favoritism, bias, negativity, abuse of power, and examples of positive role modeling. A survey was sent to all members of the National Society of Genetic Counselors and program directors in order to reach graduates of Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling (ACGC)-accredited programs from 2015-2019 who were eligible to participate. Responses to questions relating to demographics, satisfaction with graduate education, behaviors experienced or seen during graduate school, and reporting of inappropriate behaviors were collected and analyzed. Results demonstrated that 95% of the genetic counseling graduates were highly satisfied with their graduate education and those who experienced inappropriate behaviors during their training were somewhat less satisfied (p=.04). Individuals who felt more prepared by their graduate education were more satisfied with their graduate education (p<.01). Being publicly embarrassed or humiliated, being made to feel like a burden in clinic, or being subjected to negative or offensive behavior based on their personal beliefs or personal characteristics (excluding areas of gender, race/ethnicity, or sexual orientation) were all negatively associated with satisfaction (all p<.04). We conclude that this survey could serve as a "Genetic Counseling Training Experiences Assessment" which could be incorporated into annual evaluations required by the ACGC. Implementation of this assessment would enhance the current evaluations of genetic counseling training programs and provide important information regarding student experiences during their training.

Predictors of Student Failure or Poor Performance on Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences

Objective. To determine factors predictive of student failure or poor performance on advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) at a single pharmacy program. Methods. This retrospective cohort evaluated students entering the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program from 2012-2014 at St. Louis College of Pharmacy. Students who received a grade of F for one or more APPEs (failure group) were compared to all other students (non-failure group). A secondary evaluation compared students with a C or F on one or more APPEs (poor performers) to all other students (non-poor performers). Data were collected on didactic and experiential performance, identifiable professionalism issues from introductory pharmacy practice experiences (IPPEs), and academic honor code violations. Univariable and multivariable logistic regressions were performed to determine factors associated with APPE failure and poor performance. Results. A total of 669 students were analyzed. Twenty-eight students (4.2%) failed one or more APPEs and 81 students (12.1%) were identified as poor performers (grade of C or F). For the primary outcome, professional grade point average (GPA) of less than 2.7, practicum failure, IPPE professionalism issue(s), and pharmacotherapy course failure were identified for inclusion in the multivariable analysis. The IPPE professionalism issue(s) (HR 4.8 [95% CI 1.9-12.4]) and pharmacotherapy course failure (HR 4.2 [95% CI, 1.6-11.1]) were associated with APPE failure on multivariable regression. On the secondary analysis, the same variables were identified for multivariable regression, with professional GPA of less than 2.7 (HR 2.7 [95% CI 1.5-5]), IPPE professionalism issue(s) (HR 3.9 [95% CI 2.2-6.9]), and pharmacotherapy course failure (HR 2.0 [95% CI 1.1-3.7]) associated with poor performance. Conclusion. Poor academic performance and/or identified unprofessional behavior while completing IPPEs are associated with APPE failure and poor performance. Interventions should be aimed at identifying at-risk students and addressing risk factors prior to APPEs.

The Legal Responsibility of the Doctor on the Family’s Demand to Stop the Treatment of the Terminal Patient that Causes Death

AIM: This study aims to determine the responsibility of the doctor and the patient’s right to medical health services and to analyze the termination of the treatment to the terminal patient, as well as to analyze the form of legal liability of the doctor related to discontinuation of the treatment that causes death. The research is a normative-empirical approach.&#x0D; METHOD: The method was qualitative descriptive.&#x0D; RESULTS: The results showed that the legal liability between the doctor’s responsibility and the right of patient in medical health care was private as well as public that subject to the legal regime of health. The form of legal relationship between doctors and patients was an agreement known as the medical consent (informed consent). Determination of an error by a doctor on the discontinuation of the treatment of patients at the request of the family on terminal patient that causes death was determined by several indicators such as the severity of an error, the medical discipline through medical error, and unprofessional behavior. In the criminal law, a doctor was determined guilty by actus reus and mens rea.&#x0D; CONCLUSION: The responsibility of the doctor on the discontinuation of the treatment of patients at the request of the family on terminal patient that causes death was professional responsibility, among others, the ethical responsibility (referred to objective theory) and the discipline responsibility (referred to mix theory) MKEK and MKDKI would sue the medical profession on legal liability (criminal) referred to the theory of retaliation, however, the judge would confirm the sentence to the doctor.

Utilization and professionalism toward social media among undergraduate nursing students.

Social media has become an integrated part of nursing profession, requiring nursing students to develop confidentiality and professional fitness to practice. The aim of this study was to investigate nursing students' usage, professionalism and attitudes toward social media. A cross-section study was conducted online among undergraduate nursing students (n = 654). Questionnaires of self-directed learning, self-efficacy and usage and views toward social media were administered. Ethical approval was obtained from the Hubei University of Chinese Medicine. All participants were social media users. QQ (93.2%) was the most frequently used. 74.5% respondents spent 2-6 h on social media daily. The majority held positive attitudes toward social media. Year group and gender had influence on perceptions and attitudes toward social media. Furthermore, 81.5% students believed that social media positively influenced self-directed learning. Self-directed learning and learning motivation acted as predictors of the attitudes toward social media. Meanwhile, 67.3% students had posted personal photos and videos online, and 82.4% of them did not have privacy setting on social media. In addition,13.8% students attacked others or posted improper photos online. 22.9% participants witnessed improper posts from schoolmates or teachers, such as complaints about schoolmates or teachers (22.2%), foul language (11.1%), violence (3.9%), sexually suggestive photos (2.6%) and patient confidentiality (0.7%). In all, 15.0% respondents accepted "friend request" from patients. A total of 58.2% students were not aware of professional standards of behavior online for health care providers. In addition, 52.3% participants insisted that it is essential to develop social media and professionalism course for nursing students. Nursing students use social media extensively. Some students are at risk of carrying out unprofessional behavior which have detrimental effects on students' future opportunities. This suggests that best practices and training in nurse education should be implemented to help students to be informed of professionalism.

Pengalaman Perawat Dalam Memberikan Asuhan Keperawatan Pada Pasien Terinfeksi Covid - 19

Nurses as health workers have the most frequent contact with Covid-19 patients during nursing care. Anxiety, nurses' fear of the risk of contracting the Covid-19 virus can give birth to unprofessional attitudes and behaviors in providing nursing care to patients. This study aims to identify the experiences of nurses while caring for patients infected with Covid-19. Qualitative data were obtained through in-depth interviews with five nurses at a hospital in Bengkulu. The results of the study found four main themes, namely knowledge of Covid-19, nurse professionalism, nurses' feelings while caring for patients, and efforts to prevent transmission. The results of the study found four main themes, namely knowledge of Covid-19 care, nurses' motivation, the psychological condition of nurses while caring for patients, efforts to prevent transmission and the role of nurses in providing nursing care carried out by nurses to the families of Covid-19 patients. The results of this study concluded that the need for research on the Application of the Family-Centered Nursing Model to the Implementation of Family Health Duties in Prevention of Covid-19 Transmission.Key Words: Nurses, nursing care, Covid - 19.

Young medical doctors\u2019 perspectives on professionalism: a qualitative study conducted in public hospitals in Pakistan

BackgroundProfessionalism is amongst the major dimensions determining the competence of medical doctors. Poor professionalism affects the overall outcome of healthcare services. This study explores the perspectives of young medical doctors on professionalism in Pakistan.MethodsA qualitative study based on in-depth interviews was conducted with 60 young medical doctors, aged less than 40 years, who had studied medicine in Pakistani universities, were Pakistani nationals, and were employed at various hierarchical levels, from house officer to consultant specialist, in public tertiary hospitals in Pakistan. The respondents were identified through a multistage maximum heterogeneity sampling strategy. A semi-structured interview guide was developed based on a previous extensive literature review. Written consent was obtained from the hospitals and study participants. Qualitative thematic analysis was applied to analyse the data.ResultsThe data analysis revealed that rigidity of opinions, unacceptability of contrasting perspectives, false pride, and perceived superiority over other professions and patients were major components of poor medical professionalism. Most of the young doctors believed that there is no need to include professionalism and humanity course modules in the medical curriculum, because topics related to social sciences are deemed irrelevant to medicine and judged to be common sense. The doctors recognised good professionalism in themselves, while reporting unprofessional behaviour demonstrated by their colleagues and paramedics. Other factors contributing to poor medical professionalism included the use of social media applications during duty hours, ridiculing patients, substance use such as smoking cigarettes in the office, referrals of complicated cases to other hospitals, freeing up beds before holidays, lack of cooperation from paramedical staff, and inadequate role models.ConclusionsPoor medical professionalism among young doctors needs to be addressed by policymakers. There is a need to revisit the medical curriculum to strengthen professionalism. It is essential to develop the qualities of tolerance, teachability, and acceptance in doctors in order to facilitate interprofessional collaborations and avoid medical errors.

Medical students’ reflections on surgical educators’ professionalism: Contextual nuances in the hidden curriculum

IntroductionSurgical educators’ professional behavior constitutes a hidden curriculum and impacts trainee’s professional identity formation. This study explores the nuances of professional behaviors as observed in varying surgical settings. Methods411 Transcripts originated from essays written by MS3 students during their surgical clerkship from 2010 to 2016 were collated. Employing a qualitative research methodology, we conducted a thematic analysis to uncover specific meaning emerging from medical student reflections’ on surgical professionalism. ResultsIn clinics, taking time and protecting patient privacy; in the OR, control over emotion during difficult situations and attention to learners; and in the inpatient setting, showing accountability above normal expected behavior were noted as professional. Similarly, unprofessional behaviors in these contexts paralleled lack of these attributes. ConclusionsBehaviors observed and the attributes of professionalism in the surgical learning environment have contextual nuances. These variations in professionalism can be utilized in deliberate development of professionalism in surgery.

Adverse Childhood Experiences in Trainees and Physicians With Professionalism Lapses: Implications for Medical Education and Remediation.

Unprofessional behavior, which can include failure to engage, dishonest and/or disrespectful behavior, and poor self-awareness, can be demonstrated by medical trainees and practicing physicians. In the authors' experience, these types of behaviors are associated with exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Given this overlap, the authors studied the percentage of ACEs among trainees and physicians referred for fitness-for-duty evaluations and patterns between the types of ACEs experienced and the reason for referral. A final sample of 123 cases of U.S. trainees and physicians who had been referred to a Midwestern center for assessment and/or remediation of professionalism issues from 2013 to 2018 was created. Included professionalism lapses fell within 3 categories: boundary violation, disruptive behavior, or potential substance use disorder concerns. All participants completed a psychosocial developmental interview, which includes questions about ACE exposure. Overall rate of reported ACEs and types of ACEs reported were explored. Eighty-six (70%) participants reported at least 1 ACE, while 27 (22%) reported 4 or more. Compared with national data, these results show significantly higher occurrence rates of 1 or more ACEs and a lower occurrence rate of 0 ACEs. ACEs that predicted reasons for referral were physical or sexual abuse, feeling unwanted or unloved, witnessing abuse of their mother or stepmother, or caretaker substance use. In this sample, ACE exposure was associated with professionalism issues. Remediating individuals with professionalism issues and exposure to ACEs can be complicated by heightened responses to stressful stimuli, difficulties with collaboration and trust, and decreased self-efficacy. Adoption of a trauma-informed medical education approach may help those that have been impacted by trauma rebuild a sense of control and empowerment. The findings of this study may be useful predictors in identifying those at risk of problematic behavior and recidivism before a sentinel event.

Evaluating the appropriateness of Facebook posts – What do faculty and residents consider?

In order to understand what constitutes unprofessional online behaviour from the perspectives of stakeholders, there have been studies that examine the perceptions of doctors and the public on hypothetical online postings. However, the considerations and reasoning of the participants when they evaluate online posts have not been explored in-depth. This project aimed to examine the main considerations and possible conflicting considerations of faculty and residents when they evaluate the appropriateness of Facebook posts, and how they might negotiate any conflicts. Faculty and residents from the National Healthcare Group – Alexandra Health Pte Ltd Residency in Singapore were randomly presented Facebooks posts as part of an online questionnaire, rated their appropriateness, and provided explanations for their ratings. Responses were coded for main considerations and responses with 2 or more conflicting considerations were further analysed to describe the conflict and the way they were negotiated. 182 faculty and residents rated the appropriateness of three out of six Facebook posts and explained their evaluation. Except for one post which was evaluated as ‘Neither appropriate nor inappropriate’ by the majority (37%) of the respondents, all other posts were rated as either ‘Very inappropriate’ or ‘Inappropriate’ by the majority of respondents (34%-69%). Despite similar evaluation of inappropriateness, faculty and residents take into account a wide range of considerations. These considerations tend to conflict with one another when the respondents considered freedom of expression of the poster and the educational purpose of a post. Understanding physicians’ negotiation of conflicting considerations provides insight into their outworking of professionalism in social media context.

Relationship Between Burnout and Professional Behaviors and Beliefs Among US Nurses.

To evaluate the relationship between burnout and professional behaviors and beliefs among US nurses. We used data from 2256 nurses who completed a survey that included the Maslach Burnout Inventory and items exploring their professional conduct (documented something they had not done so they could "close out" an encounter in the EHR or part of the assessment not completed, requested continuing education credit for an activity not attended) and beliefs about reporting impaired colleagues. On multivariable analysis, burnout was independently associated with higher odds of reporting 1 or more unprofessional behaviors in the last year and not believing nurses have a duty to report impairment among colleagues due to substance use or mental health problems. Occupational burnout is associated with self-reported unprofessional behaviors and less favorable beliefs about reporting impaired colleagues among nurses.

A question of addressing the real issues of the Nigerian Police operatives’ ineffectiveness for improved petormance

The Nigerian Police ineffectiveness in internal security services is a national challenge. The police have been labelled unfriendly and discredited by many due to their personal experiences and media reports. Research findings indicate that with the police, Nigerians are among the worst Police victims of human rights violations in Africa, due to corruption, unlawful and prolonged detention without trials and various unprofessional conduct. This investigation explores the issues of the Nigerian Police road traffic operatives along a heavy traffic highway in North Central Nigeria that qualify their unprofessional attitudes and behaviors, with possible insights to advance knowledge for policies towards improving service delivery. We collected data from police officers of two police formations in the research area, by quantitative survey. Also from the same two locations and another location, we collected qualitative data by applying in-depth analyses of opinion leaders. We applied Herzberg’s two factor theory and observed that lack of both motivators and hygiene factors seem to be impacting the operatives negatively hence they are not motivated to operate effectively. Data suggest that the Police immediate constraints are mainly hygiene factors (monetary rewards, welfare, tools, among others) which build up frustration and predispose them to oppression and extortion of road users, reflecting the overarching corrupt environment. The results support some earlier findings that both motivators and hygiene factors, not mainly motivators, drive employee motivation and performance. Policy implications include enhanced statutory spending and overhaul of the agency structure for improved employee performance.

Don't Shoot the Messenger: Surgical Programs Can Do More to Keep Applicants Informed

The interview process for applying to general surgery residency is burdened by a high volume of applicants, resulting in unprofessional behavior by both applicants and programs. Sharing more information regarding interview scheduling with applicants may limit fourth year medical student educational disruptions, minimized late cancellations to interview, and improve overall satisfaction with the process. Thus, we set out to determine what information is currently available to applicants. We used publicly accessible sources to determine what information was shared by US general surgery residency programs with applicants. Specifically, we looked at the deadline for applications, United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 and 2 score cutoffs, number of interview dates available, specific interview dates, a stated policy to not offering more interviews than slots, dates when applicants can expect to be notified of interview offers, notification of decision to decline, and International Medical Graduate and visa policies. This study took place at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine, an academic medical center with a general surgery residency program. Not applicable. Three hundred seventeen programs were examined.Seventy-six percent of programs specified an application deadline, 65% of programs specified a Step 1 cut-off score, 50% of programs specified a Step 2 cut-off score, 61% of programs stated a visa policy, and 50% of programs stated an International Medical Graduate policy. Twenty-five percent of programs disclosed the number of interview dates, 23% disclosed what those interview dates were. About 3.4% of programs gave interview release dates, 2.8% of programs notify applicants of decline to interview, and 0.63% of programs explicitly describe a policy of offering only as many interviews as slots available. Thirty-two percent of programs provided conflicting information. The information available to applicants from public access sources regarding interview scheduling is minimal, unstandardized, and unreliable. Notably lacking were policies that only offer as many interviews as slots available, dates when applicants can expect to be notified of interview offers, and notification of declines. Providing such information to applicants in a standardized way may improve satisfaction with the interview scheduling process.

Have You Heard? Examining the Relationship Between Leader Positive Gossip and Prosocial Behavior

Although gossip is a natural and inevitable part of human interactions, it is typically regarded as a socially undesirable and unprofessional behavior associated with dysfunctional work outcomes. However, gossip may also be functional and positive gossip spread by leaders may have a profound impact on employees’ attitudes and behaviors. Drawing on self-enhancement theory, we examine why and when leader positive gossip may influence employee prosocial behavior. Across two studies, we find that as employees hear their leaders spread positive gossip about other employees, they are more likely to engage in prosocial behavior, with this effect mediated by need for positive evaluation. Furthermore, in Study 2, core self-evaluation moderates the relationship between leader positive gossip and need for positive evaluation, such that the positive relationship is stronger for employees with low, rather than high, core self-evaluation. Our findings suggest that leader positive gossip may trigger the motivation to self-enhance and heighten employees’ need for positive evaluation, which in turn prompts them to be more prosocial, with core self-evaluation serving as a key boundary condition underlying these relationships. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of our findings.