Unprofessional behavior negatively affects patient safety and staff well-being. This narrative review characterized how, why, and under what circumstances unprofessional behavior occurs in acute care and what interventions have been implemented to reduce it. Factors contributing to unprofessional behavior include workplace disempowerment, organizational uncertainty, confusion and stress, lack of social cohesion, and enablement of harmful cultures that tolerate unprofessional behaviors. Staff members from ethnic minority groups were at increased risk of being targets of unprofessional behavior.