Managing the temperamental employee.

In today's fast-paced, competitive, and quality-centered health care environment, dealing effectively with a temperamental employee and the resultant impact on the organization presents particular challenges. Considerations include the requirement of timely action in order to alleviate the real problems of unprofessional behavior in the workplace. This article discusses the major issues associated with such situations, including why there often is a reluctance for management to take action, the consequences that are accentuated by inaction, prescriptions for preventing the problem, and steps to be taken in dealing effectively with the temperamental employee.