Anyone Else Experience Mobbing?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Hi~

I have been at my new job for over a year now and have become the victim of mobbing by my peers in the ICU where I work.

I have tried every approach with this but nothing has helped my situation. I am going to have to leave this job for it to end.

It has caused me to become depressed, anxious at times, and I have gained weight.

I have also seen mobbing occur at other units where I have worked. I am wondering how prevalent this is now among nurses.

Specializes in Operating Room Nursing.

WeakAnkles-I'm very sorry to hear what your going through.

I've been pretty lucky so far... I haven't felt that way from the nurses where i work, mainly the surgeons. I agree that if you can't change the workplace culture then your better off finding a better place to work. Long term stress can lead to all sorts of health issues, why place yourself at risk?

If i ever see someone being bullied at work (and it's normally the surgeon) here is what i do. I loudly in front of everyone tell the person being bullied what a great person they are to work with. It may sound silly but it does two things. It lets the person being bullied know that i'm on their side and they have my full support. And it lets the bully know that i'm going to stand by my workmates.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Operating Room.
Witchy,

I've worked with some GREAT O.R. nurses, too! There's a comradery among the staff that is not found in other departments. I guess the beeatches just stand out in a person's mind, especially when those attitudes are totally unjustified.

I know, it's such a shame that the bullies are allowed to behave this way. All it takes is a few rotten apples, and they can do great damage. Funny thing is, these are the same people that will complain about short staffing and how they have to take more call because of it. I think the younger people can have a big hand in changing attitudes. I'm not slamming the older people because some of the older nurses have been very protective and caring. We just need to change that deep rooted perception in nursing(not just the OR) that hazing someone makes them a better nurse.
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, ICU, L&D, OR.
Tom, please tell us why you don't believe in mobbing. I respect your opinion and am dying to know how you feel about this.

I have seen nurses do this to other nurses. And I have had it done to me, but I waited it out and had a good outcome. They got fired.

For them to mob you, you would have to empower them to do so. If you dont empower them, then it cant happen and it doesnt exist. Dont give them the power.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Sorry, I have to disagree with you.

That's like saying someone's who's stoned to death in Iran had the power to stop it? Or, they empowered the mob to do it? Are you serious?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nursing Home ,Dementia Care,Neurology..
For them to mob you, you would have to empower them to do so. If you dont empower them, then it cant happen and it doesnt exist. Dont give them the power.

Once you have a mob trying to get rid of you it would take a mega strong personality to stand up to the constant ,negative,bitching comments every day.Even the strongest person can be worn down by constant negativity.:o

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Sorry, I have to disagree with you.

That's like saying someone's who's stoned to death in Iran had the power to stop it? Or, they empowered the mob to do it? Are you serious?

Yeah, doesn't make a lot of sense, does it? I was trying to figure out what was meant by that.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU,PCU,ER, TELE,SNIFF, STEP DOWN PCT.
For them to mob you, you would have to empower them to do so. If you dont empower them, then it cant happen and it doesnt exist. Dont give them the power.

I HAVE to disagree with you As I have seen people "try" to stop it and it only BECAME worse. Like I said 9/10 management knows and DOES nothing. I have seen it first hand a few times. This includes older RNs, Techs, and even EMS personal.

Then when they do (management), "the person or persons" will ACT good till the heat cools(ie ask permission to leave the floor, nice to everyone and patients, ect) on them and then they go back to the way it was before; and management again sticks its head in the sand and sees and hears nothing no matter how many complaints. So no people may not "empower" these folks but management does by never forcing them to

1. leave on their own

2. leave by prodding

3. leave by being "fired"

4. told to resign in their best interest

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, ICU, L&D, OR.
Sorry, I have to disagree with you.

That's like saying someone's who's stoned to death in Iran had the power to stop it? Or, they empowered the mob to do it? Are you serious?

trying to compare so called mobbing to stoning in Iran, isnt even a fair comparison. Very Dramatic, but no significant comparison between the two.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, ICU, L&D, OR.
Once you have a mob trying to get rid of you it would take a mega strong personality to stand up to the constant ,negative,bitching comments every day.Even the strongest person can be worn down by constant negativity.:o

Consider selective hearing then. I only hear what I want. Like when all 7 of my children wanted money or cars or whatever. I didnt hear a thing. Works wondrously.

But by failing to empower the alledged mobsters. In other words you dont give them the opportunity to mobber you. You dont give them an opening to attack you.

At work, I dont talk about beliefs, I dont talk about coworkers, I dont talk about anything, well maybe I do talk about Golf. I go to work. I turn a deaf ear to gossip and hearsay. Thus I dont open myself to mobbery Thats my humour.

I work, I go to the club, I go home. Then I go golfing, life is simple. Kind of reminds me of GWB, very simple.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, ICU, L&D, OR.
I HAVE to disagree with you As I have seen people "try" to stop it and it only BECAME worse. Like I said 9/10 management knows and DOES nothing. I have seen it first hand a few times. This includes older RNs, Techs, and even EMS personal.

Then when they do (management), "the person or persons" will ACT good till the heat cools(ie ask permission to leave the floor, nice to everyone and patients, ect) on them and then they go back to the way it was before; and management again sticks its head in the sand and sees and hears nothing no matter how many complaints. So no people may not "empower" these folks but management does by never forcing them to

1. leave on their own

2. leave by prodding

3. leave by being "fired"

4. told to resign in their best interest

Thats the problem. By trying to stop it, you thereby empower it. And it continues on. If you fail to recognize it, then it cant be empowered to go on. By itself it just dies without confrontation.

Also do not blame management. People like to blame management. Management isnt always the problem, and they are not always the answer to a problem.

Sometimes you have to recognize the problem and accept responsibility for it. Deal with but dont confront this kind of problem. It is empowered by confrontation. This kind of confrontation will only cause you to lose. Why lose.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, office.

About three years ago my workplace was more toxic than I could ever imagine. We are a small group of six and when two of them became very close friends the rest of us became poop on the bottom of their shoes.

I have no problem with having friends in the workplace, hopefully everyone has them. But when it starts to effect everyone else, our moral and our ability to do their jobs; it become an unmanageable situation. We all spoke to our NM and got nowhere. One day after I was near the end of my rope with the situation, she brought me in her office and suggested anti-anxiety medication. In other words, I should medicate myself because she has no way to handle a problem with her staff. :o

The strange thing was; together they were impossible to be around. But each alone we could get along fine.

The situation took care of itself when one of the doctors left the clinic and his primary nurse (one of the offenders) was transferred.

I am still at that position. Things are good now, but I will never forget that awful feeling. If it happens again, here or at a future job, I am outa there. No way would I put myself through it again.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU,PCU,ER, TELE,SNIFF, STEP DOWN PCT.
Thats the problem. By trying to stop it, you thereby empower it. And it continues on. If you fail to recognize it, then it cant be empowered to go on. By itself it just dies without confrontation.

Also do not blame management. People like to blame management. Management isnt always the problem, and they are not always the answer to a problem.

Sometimes you have to recognize the problem and accept responsibility for it. Deal with but dont confront this kind of problem. It is empowered by confrontation. This kind of confrontation will only cause you to lose. Why lose.

YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING! You do not live in the real world, or the fantasy you do is 1 in a million. Just cause YOU live in the perfect world does NOT mean everyone else does, you are a forturnate one then. As I have seen it is all aspects hospital and EMS to different people and for different reasons. OH AND YES, MANAGEMENT HAS A HELL of a LOT to do with it. Most the time they have no NADS to do anything.

When people leave and when asked why' and they all keep giving the same answer" and management smiles, nods, and sticks their head back in the sand and say"Why is everyone leaving?" , they will never figure it out.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment