Sexual harrassment?

[Flamingonurse]

I had a male nurse co-worker who was actively engaging in "sexting" during the shift and showed me a very provocative partially nude female on his cell phone. As the charge nurse on duty I was required to right him up causing him to be placed on 2 week suspension. Fellow collegues, do you think this employee should be able to keep his job?

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

While it seems clear there is a double standard, I think part of its existence is because men don't report it when women make them uncomfortable by their topics of conversation. Maybe they aren't uncomfortable? If they are, though, reporting it and having it go through whatever channels there are, could help reduce the double standard.

The point is, if someone is uncomfortable due to something another says, in a sexual context, it's not ok. It needs to be addressed. It also needs to be addressed in the way that works for the benefit of all, and follow whatever protocol has been set up. Losing work for 2 weeks is a huge punishment for what Joe Nurse did, I think. That could mean he won't be able to pay rent that month!

[FMF Corpsman, MSN, RN]

I had a male nurse co-worker who was actively engaging in "sexting" during the shift and showed me a very provocative partially nude female on his cell phone. As the charge nurse on duty I was required to right him up causing him to be placed on 2 week suspension. Fellow collegues, do you think this employee should be able to keep his job?

It isn’t clear to me how the Charge Nurse knew the guy was sexting to begin with. Nowhere in her original post is there any reference to it. Just the statement where she was required to “right” (sic) him up. The OP is new to AN, this is only her second post and looking on her profile I see she is a BSN from Phoenix, I’m wondering if she has much experience as a Nurse. I have to wonder, because it appears she has abandoned the thread after posting her original. Her actions and even her questions on the board here, certainly bring up more questions than they answer, because they aren’t those of a seasoned Charge Nurse or even those of a veteran Nurse period. Unless there was a banter back and forth, how did she even know he was sexting? Unless there was a familiarity between them, why would he show his Charge Nurse, a photo of a half-nude woman on his cell phone? Unless perhaps, she was attracted to ham and jealous of his not paying attention to her, be so adamant about being required to “right” (sic) him up. No one else obviously knew what had played out in the nurse’s station, unless she had told them. As I said, more questions than answers here. Maybe she doesn’t have the experience behind her to support the position she’s in, who knows, and apparently she’s not going to tell us either.

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

it isn't harrassment because it lacks repition.

It doesn't need repetition. Or perhaps in my state our laws are stricter. But the fact that he told her (?? maybe he did, maybe he didn't maybe she "caught" him) he was sexting and showing pics is sexual harrassment. Period. That someone is reading "50 Shades" on their break is not, however, should someone start reading out loud, then that is a different story. Men need to speak up as well when someone starts going into detail about their escapades the night before. It is not a power thing, it is a law thing--and the law is really clear on ANY sort of talk, joking, innuendo regarding anything of a sexual nature that makes another person uncomfortable is considered sexual harrassment.

That the OP left out some key aspects of this is troubling. But it was clear that she said she was required to report it. Perhaps a co-worker came to her with a complaint over this man, and when she was speaking to him about it, he showed her. I dunno that without more info. But when facilities really start taking a firm stand on sexual harrassment, then we will all be surprised as to exactly what that entails. Equally as surprised if we read the current sexual harrassment policy in our employee handbooks and exactly what that entails....It is mind boggling what it covers.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

It doesn't need repetition. Or perhaps in my state our laws are stricter. But the fact that he told her (?? maybe he did, maybe he didn't maybe she "caught" him) he was sexting and showing pics is sexual harrassment. Period.

Actually, no. It does require repetition; the law against sexual harassment--a federal one--is defined in part by the EEOC (thanks, Altra!!):

Although the law doesn’t prohibit simple teasing, offhand comments, or isolated incidents that are not very serious, harassment is illegal when it is so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment or when it results in an adverse employment decision (such as the victim being fired or demoted).

Pretty safe to say that this wasn't so severe that it rendered the OP incapable of functioning from that moment on. And she herself said it was a single, isolated incident. Nothing she was subjected to more than one single time, and certainly not severe enough completely debilitate her. So no....there is no "harassment". Just a lapse in judgment on the part of Joe Nurse.

[Sun0408, ASN, RN]

I wonder if the OP will come back..

[morte, LPN, LVN]

I am beginning to think it is homework.

[Elladora]

I think a simple "Hey, knock that off" would have been sufficient.

I'm glad I work where I do. We all joke around and speak freely, male and female, and no one gets uptight or upset. Guess that comes with knowing and trusting your co-workers.