LATERAL Violence. How Nurses treat Nurses!

Titania2009 · Nov 16, 2009

To be deemed 'violent' doesn't mean there must be blood shed!

http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/violence/world_report/en/

"The World Health Organization defines violence (2) as: The intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment or deprivation."

The WHO's 2002 Report on Violence and Health, also included the following;

"A comprehensive approach to preventing violence at work

Violence in the workplace is a major contributor to death and injury in many parts of the world. In the United States of America, official statistics have placed homicide as the second single leading cause of death in the workplace --- after road traffic injuries --- for men, and the first for women. In the European Union, an estimated 3 million workers (2% of the labor force) have been subjected to physical violence at work. Studies on female migrant workers from the Philippines have shown that many, especially those working in domestic service or the entertainment industry, are disproportionately affected by violence within their work.

Violence at work involves not only physical but also psychological behaviour. Many workers are subjected to bullying, sexual harassment, threats, intimidation and other forms of psychological violence. Research in the United Kingdom has found that 53% of employees have suffered bullying at work and 78% have witnessed such behavior. In South Africa, workplace hostilities have been reported as ‘‘abnormally high’’ and a recent study showed that 78% of those surveyed had at some time experienced bullying within the workplace. Repeated acts of violence --- from bullying, sexual harassment, and threats to humiliate and undermine workers --- may also develop cumulatively into very serious cases. In Sweden, it is estimated that such behaviour has been a factor in 10--15% of suicides.

The costs Violence in the workplace causes immediate and often long-term disruption to interpersonal relationships and to the whole working environment. The costs of such violence include:

* Direct costs --- stemming from such things as:

— accidents;

— illness;

— disability and death;

— absenteeism;

— turnover of staff.

* Indirect costs, including:

— reduced work performance;

— a lower quality of products or service and slower production;

— decreased competitiveness.

* More intangible costs, including:

— damage to the image of an organization;

— decreased motivation and morale;

— diminished loyalty to the organization;

— lower levels of creativity;

— an environment that is less conducive to work.

The responses As in dealing with violence in other settings, a comprehensive approach is required. Violence at work is not simply an individual problem that happens from time to time, but a structural problem with much wider socioeconomic, cultural and organizational causes. The traditional response to violence at work, based exclusively on the enforcement of regulations, fails to reach many situations in the workplace. A more comprehensive approach focuses on the causes of violence in the workplace. Its aim is to make the health, safety and well-being of workers integral parts of the development of the organization.

The type of systematic and targeted package to prevent violence at work that is being increasingly adopted includes:

— the active collaboration of workers’ and employers’ organizations in formulating clear anti-violence workplace policies and programmes;

— supporting legislation and guidelines from national and local government;

— the dissemination of case studies of good practice in preventing violence at work;

— improvements to the working environment, styles of management and the organization of work;

— greater opportunities for training;

— counseling and support for those affected.

By directly linking health and safety with the management and development of an organization, this comprehensive approach offers the means of prompt and sustainable action to eliminate violence in the workplace."

Perhaps this may enlighten you Sparkplug to the destruction caused by "strong personalities" and how your comments "melodramatic" and attitude is an affront to anyone who has ever been subjected to violence in the workplace.

Sparkplug wrote Jun 28, 2007, 03:59 PM

Re: LATERAL Violence. How Nurses treat Nurses!

"Isn't the word 'violence' a little strong? No, I've never experienced violence at work. Yes, I've encountered gossip, cliques, and some strong personalities. I don't call that violence, that sounds like a melodramatic overstatement to me."

Ignorance isn't an excuse. Passive dismissal of such situations makes you an accessory to the violence.

lamazeteacher · Nov 17, 2009

Titania: No one should be made to put up with those things!

It's good that you left the employ of one place. What do you think it is, that followed you to the next one?

Violence is any occurrence caused by one person using extreme pressure (not necessarily physical) on another, and must be reported every time!

SoundofMusic · Nov 17, 2009

You know, I worked in other professions -- administrative and in marketing/communication type jobs for some 15 years before I came to nursing. And I will tell you this: There was absolutely NO SUCH THING as secretaries or admin types "bullying" each other, nor did one EVER hear of marketing folks "eating their young." Yes, there are office politics, but for the most part -- women are encouraged and promoted, treated like human beings and like PROFESSIONALS.

Ladies in nursing -- you are UNBELIEVABLE -- those of you who bully, and those of you who allow it to happen. This is freaking 2009 and women over decades have fought long and hard for women to be treated as professionals, and to advance in the workplace! Have you even been listening or paying attention to the advances and strides women have made, even in the last 20 years or so?

Your treatment of each other is counter professional. In doing this, and by condoning it, or by tolerating it, you demean this profession! No one -- not administrators, not doctors, not anyone is going to take YOU seriously as a group until you stop this ridiculous practice.

New grads are just that: college grads! These are young people, most of whom qualified to be accepted into challenging nursing programs -- and PASSED. Yet, you treat the "newbies" like idiots to be abused. These are intelligent young people, waiting to be mentored, taught, INSPIRED -- are you even up to it?

I ask each and every one of you -- what have you done lately that has inspired a new graduate RN to stay, to learn, to be their best??

summerrose_10 · Nov 17, 2009

Wow, obviously this post has touched ALOT of nerves.

Some defend the way students are "meanly" treated. With the defense "maybe they don't want to instruct students" WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How did they learn to be a nurse???? ....born that way:cool:

Yeah its stressful....if ya can't handle the heat, get out of the kitchen....After 25+ yrs. many are burnt out, why don't ya get out.???? I just got into nursing, spent almost 30+yrs in past job, I was burnt out, hated training, etc etc. Took me a while to realize, I was miserable, and making everyone around me miserable. Tough decision, but couldn't be happier now. It's never too late to go back to school and do something else. It can be done, I'm living proof!!!!

some say "I just want to put in my 8,10,12hrs and go home"....don't want students...have you effectively communicated this to your supervisor?????? I love students, it only takes a short time to assess them, find their strengths and capitalize on that. As a student, I clearly remember the nurses who were moody and took out their problems on me. I still see these nurses at work, I'm not rude to them, I treat them professionally, yet I don't go out of my way to help them, and yes, it stems from the way they treated me when I was a student. It is not hostile, but it is cool.

Ironically, these nurses are still rude, moody, and still have their same issues. It had nothing to do with me, they just don't know how to make a change I guess.

I learned in nursing school, a person criticizes others to make that person look less capable, they think it makes them look more capable. In most cases, the criticizer is a very capable and good nurse, they just haven't learned to be humble.

I know this "lateral violence" can either end or begin with me, I choose to end it. Stop the gossip and lose those "all knowing" looks. Extend a hand, give a hug, smile... if you find errors/mistakes, go to the source, it probably really is a knowledge deficit....teach...your a nurse...

Michelle123 · Nov 17, 2009

I must admit the first few pages of this thread have some post which are absolutely disgusting!

If you don't want a student, here is an idea, instead of acting like you are in high school, go and speak to your manager about it, someone who can actually do something about it.

And as far as saying using the term violence is melodramtic? Well it is because of attitudes like that that are perpetuating it.

Violence is what it is.

There are many more things that I wanted to say, but I'm just gobsmacked at the way some nurses here are actually defending this behavior. I think that some nurses need to do some introspection about their own practice.

Titania2009 · Nov 17, 2009

Titania: No one should be made to put up with those things!
It's good that you left the employ of one place. What do you think it is, that followed you to the next one?
Violence is any occurrence caused by one person using extreme pressure (not necessarily physical) on another, and must be reported every time!

The incident at my first place of employment, was handled appropriately by my manager. The person who bullied/harassed me, had never done anything like that before. I didn't leave that position because of "lateral violence." I left because I needed shorter hours, going through a divorce and having residential custody of my children required I find a different position.

Your comment as to "followed you to the next one" I think stems from my comments of allowing people to treat me in such a way at work, was astonishing to me. Since I had finally decided to get out of a verbally abusive marriage.

Thanks for your comments and concerns. I do appreciate them.

daisymae0 · Nov 17, 2009

this is what makes me very scared to go into the nursing profession.

Titania2009 · Nov 17, 2009

New grads are just that: college grads! These are young people, most of whom qualified to be accepted into challenging nursing programs -- and PASSED. Yet, you treat the "newbies" like idiots to be abused. These are intelligent young people, waiting to be mentored, taught, INSPIRED -- are you even up to it?
I ask each and every one of you -- what have you done lately that has inspired a new graduate RN to stay, to learn, to be their best??

I was very fortunate in that as a new graduate, my preceptor was awesome! As were the majority of everyone I worked with. When the nursing students came around for their clinical rotation, there was often pros and cons to having them there. Yes, working with nursing students often takes patience and time. And we all know there often isn't time to even go to the bathroom. But I really enjoyed working with students. On several occasions the instructors would ask me to please work with a particular student. They apparently were having difficulties and knew I would take the time to help. One student was from India. She had been a nurse there, but by law had to go through our nursing school to work in the U.S. She was an excellent student in the classroom. It was only in her interaction with patients an other staff that problems began. Of course this wore on the students self esteem, she became so worried she often made silly mistakes. I worked with her off and on for several weeks. I like to think she regained her confidence in her skills. I like to think she became more aware of the cultural differences that she was going to have to be sensitive to, to succeed. I know when her clinical was over, and I reported to her instructor as the instructor had requested, the student passed that clinical rotation and she developed an alley in that instructor. I hope she graduated. I hope no one 'ate her' as a new grad.

Titania2009 · Nov 17, 2009

I learned in nursing school, a person criticizes others to make that person look less capable, they think it makes them look more capable.

My mother taught me a long time ago, "When someone says mean things to you, it's due to their low self esteem." I don't understand the person who thinks if they make everyone else look less capable, it will make them look more capable. Except perhaps that's all they have ever known.

When I witness someone trying to 'knock' another person, it only makes them look bad. But people like that, just don't get it.

My mother also taught me:

*It's the intelligent person who asks questions.

*It's the intelligent person who admits they don't know the answer. (then proceeds to find it)

*When someone expresses negative behavior/thoughts, you need to look past the surface to the root.

When an employee comes in and tells a manager, "She acts like @#$!" "She did @#$!" It's probably more an indication of what that person thinks of them-selves than what is actually going on, with the person they are complaining about.

I was brought into the managers office, shortly after finishing new employee orientation. She told me I needed to stop trying to tell everyone how to do their job. That I'm the newbie and should never think I'm better than anyone else. I was floored! After about ten minutes of active listening, I asked if I could repeat back to her, what I understood her to say. It boiled down to the fact, that the majority of my coworkers, who were not registered nurses or certified technicians, had been putting the square peg into the square hole and didn't know anything beyond. So when I appeared and wanted to know the whys, the hows, the what ifs, I opened a window that showed them how much they really didn't know. They got scared that someone might find out they didn't know it all. And instead of saying, 'that's a really good question, I don't know the answer but lets find out, I want to know too' they reported the worst thing they could think of, to get me in trouble.

But that's the difference when you work with people who have been allowed to do things on the job, without the proper education. certificate, training or license. When I made that realization, I should have found another job. I think my manager begged me not to, because she was beginning to realize the risk to patient safety, not having someone out there who had critical thinking skills. It became her main way of hooking me into staying "Your a good nurse, what will happen to the patients if your not out there?" I was damned either way.

Otessa, BSN, RN · Nov 17, 2009

There was a study done by Martha Griffin RN, CS, PhD in The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing regarding lateral violence. This might be good to look up again.

otessa

lamazeteacher · Nov 18, 2009

this is what makes me very scared to go into the nursing profession.

Bullies in nursing are rare. You needn't fear that. Be brave!

IHeartPeds87 · Dec 3, 2009

Not everyone is cut out to be a preceptor. I know I'm not. I just don't like doing it. I don't mind answering questions, but I tend to be too easygoing with people and don't want to check up on their work. When you take on someone like a student, you have no idea their skill level, their personality, etc. and you are the responsible person, you might be very busy, and all of a sudden you have to incorporate another person into your shift, who you don't know?

That's great...then don't work somewhere that requires you to teach.

My work would never force us to take a student. It's not for everyone. Some nurses just want to come on shift and do their job and don't want to deal with a student. So what?

Good that your work would never force you to take a student. If you, however, work at a teaching hospital then TOUGH!!!

As I said, the lady was rude but she wasn't violent, and she shouldn't be forced to take a student. She obviously didn't want to deal with it.

Then she shouldn't work at a teaching hospital.

There are aspects of nursing that every nurse doesn't "like." I don't "like" cleaning up feces. I don't "like" oral care. Guess what, it goes with the territory. If I worked at a teaching hospital and didn't want a student, I guess it's just another unpleasant task that is PART OF MY JOB.