The right to be rude: managing conflict.

NHS staff are expected to behave respectfully and courteously to patients, but the same standards of behaviour do not apply to patients. While abusive behaviour is unacceptable from patients, what may be perceived as "rudeness" is often a result of emotions or other factors that may not be obvious. If healthcare staff see such patients as rude, it may negatively affect the care they give. This article discusses what may lie behind "rude" behaviour and presents a model that staff can use to reframe their perceptions of and responses to it to ensure a positive outcome.