Backstabbing/Gossip in Nursing School

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Any advice how to deal with this? I feel like I am in highschool. It seems the more pressure that comes on, the worse it gets. I feel there is gossip behind your back all the time, even to the point to possibly talking crap about you to the clinical instructors etc.. So childish..I notice the targets are people who are more independent and maybe a bit more reserved. I don't get involved with the study groups (for exactly that reason and because it's not my study style) I am just trying to do my best and keep focused Any advice. I am close to approaching someone in the department about this, but I don't know if it would do any good.

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The best thing that you can do is ignore it. Cross your t's and dot your i's to CYA, but ignore the gossips.

I rarely talk with anyone in my program and if I do, it's about the weather or some other such small talk. I do not have time and I'm too old to worry about what other people are doing. I look at it as I'm in school for career training, I'm not there to make friends (I have enough friends in my everyday life).

Once you graduate do you really think that you will see many of these people again? If you look at the long term goal (graduation and getting a job) do you really think it will matter what Bobbi Sue said about you two years ago? Hopefully your answer is no. So, why are you letting this pull your focus now?

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Do what I did once--bring a pocket sized tape recorder with you, and press the "Rec" button near the person when their drama begins. Guaranteed to shut them up. Just remember to say "Oh, can you repeat what you said about XX Clinical Instructor? I'm sure she'd love to hear that."

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OMG...i experienced this when i was in nursing school and it really sucks..is terrible!!. But i found myself getting better grades then when i would study with them, and up to this date i dont regret keeping to my self..and i was literally on my own, they would get together and study, eat lunch together, and i was a "loner" lol..but eventhough all this drama was going on I manage to graduate from nursing school. And a couple of months after graduating i received a call from a few of them apologizing, and asking to be friends again in which now we keep in touch but i know to keep my distance.. My best advise would be not to give up stay strong, remember...your going to school to accomplish your goal, not to try to be friends with nobody..Best wishes:p

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Do what I did once--bring a pocket sized tape recorder with you, and press the "Rec" button near the person when their drama begins. Guaranteed to shut them up. Just remember to say "Oh, can you repeat what you said about XX Clinical Instructor? I'm sure she'd love to hear that."

I wonder if this would serve to create more drama than just ignoring and avoiding gossipers.

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This happened throughout my nursing school days...I was pretty much an outcast to the class because I did not paticipate in the gossip. I kept my head in my books and ignored everyone except the instructor. The best advice I can offer is to keep your eyes on the prize! Sometimes you have to have tunnel vision.....;)

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I'd just ignore it.

They are just showing everyone how "professional" they are. If they want to look childish in a professional environment, let them. Just makes you look even better!

I don't get involved in study groups. But I really only talk to a select few people, and they are all very mature. I don't gossip. It's just a waste of time.

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It is everywhere, trust me! I am about to graduate with 10 other women and I have found that no matter what you do or don't do someone has to run their mouth or they are not happy! However now that we are down to the final 4 weeks I have found that more of us are trying to come together to keep a float! I know that I try to stay out of it as much as I can but sometimes it is hard. Most of the big gossip girls and backstabbers are now gone so there is not as much tension in the room. Good luck! Any advice on mental health and psychiatric nursing and how to pass?

Take Care

hnvance2009

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Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.

Join in, be as two faced as possible and fit in to the click. You know you want to be one of the cool kids and will do anything to gain their respect.

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You're in nursing school for yourself. Just smile and be kind, telling the department will just make it worse. It's all part of life.

I wouldn't call it a clique, but I was part of a tight group of friends throughout my science pre-req classes but I never studied with them because I never learned anything that way. We talked a LOT of smack about other people, but never in class or in front of them. Will I ever see those people again? Probably not. Will it bother them that maybe we talked about them? Probably not.

What matters is that you get through school. The gossiping will keep happening in the field, just go through the threads on this site. Just ignore the silly women and believe in yourself.

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You said it yourself, do your best and stay focused. There is no rule or law that says you have to give any of this behavior any of your attention. Concentrate on getting yourself through the school so that you reach your goal. Let the others be concerned with their own behavior and how it ultimately affects them.

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Specializes in Infusion.

Ignore them and let them be the ones who are completely distracted. Some people do not grow out of this behavior and the more malicious ones tend to get noticed by everyone. I am hoping that the people in my class don't bring in a lot of drama but if they do, I simply put a lot of distance between myself and them. Put your teflon scrubs on !!

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