A preventable and treatable lung disorder of adults, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most common causes of hospitalizations and readmissions. It affects 15 million Americans; nearly one in five hospital patients older than age 40 is diagnosed with the disorder.

Why would someone deliberately hurt herself? The notion might seem odd—but as a nurse, you may encounter patients with signs of selfinjury (also called cutting, selfinflicted violence, self-harm, or self-mutilation). Cutting the skin is the most common form of self-injury. Other forms include self-burning or branding, pulling out the hair (trichotillomania), and embedding items under the skin—for example, sewing needles or paper clips. Over time, individuals may harm themselves repetitively; some report they’re addicted to this behavior.

According to an analysis in the May 2016 issue of BMJ, medical errors in U.S. healthcare facilities are incredibly common and are now the third leading cause of death—more than respiratory disease, accidents, stroke, and Alzheimer’s disease. There are many reasons for this, and one is workplace incivility and the fear and bullying that go with it. We’ve heard explanations aplenty for this error expansion, but there’s no exculpation. Patients are put at risk by workplace incivility and bullying.