Being bullied at work

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I started this job a month ago and within the first week I realized most of the nurses are LPNs and very hostile and ghetto. I’m one of the few RNs on the floor and most of the LPNs are older. Most of the days I just do my work and clock out to avoid drama. Most of the nurses there are always on smoke breaks every 5 minutes or gossiping and being loud at the nurses station. They use profanity in front of residents. Anyways, this one nurse (who I think might be a narcissist or borderline personality disordered) has taken a dislike to me for no reason and the other day in front of the CNAs verbally attacked me. I held my own and defended myself and told the supervisor. The issue is no one in management cares and that LPN and the supervisor are buddy buddy and smoke together, so I don’t think anything will be done. I feel like most of the nurses there don’t like me and I think it has to do with my good work ethic. I have now developed anxiety when I’m about to go to work. The energy is so horrible in this facility, and I’m thinking about quitting because I feel like since they’re all friends they will bully me out eventually. What would you do?

Specializes in ER.
1 hour ago, Ruby Vee said:

That's for the education. Racist. Just like I thought.

That's my interpretation. I basically think the word applies to African Americans who are perceived to be from places like housing projects.

The image called to my mind from the opening statement were some older Black nurses at the nurse's station who've worked together forever and a middle class White girl from the suburbs who is a little uptight and culturally out of her comfort zone quite a lot.

I'm assuming this is a nursing home since it's dominated by LPNs. Even if there isn't a racial component, I know from personal experience what it's like to be a freshly minted RN in a sea of experienced LPNs in a nursing home. It's vitally important to be extremely humble and realize that you'd better not be display any hint of superiority or attitude...

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Specializes in as above.

time to find another job! if no one cares, especially within ear shot of patients, and boss lady dont care..time to move on. Unfortunately this is NOT an uncommon occurance.

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4 hours ago, Emergent said:

That's my interpretation. I basically think the word applies to African Americans who are perceived to be from places like housing projects.

The image called to my mind from the opening statement were some older Black nurses at the nurse's station who've worked together forever and a middle class White girl from the suburbs who is a little uptight and culturally out of her comfort zone quite a lot.

I'm assuming this is a nursing home since it's dominated by LPNs. Even if there isn't a racial component, I know from personal experience what it's like to be a freshly minted RN in a sea of experienced LPNs in a nursing home. It's vitally important to be extremely humble and realize that you'd better not be display any hint of superiority or attitude...

How do we know that the people working in the nursing home or LTC facility are African American or Black? The last time I checked (worked in a LTC facility), many of the LPNs working in nursing homes were African minus the American, Africans that come to the states in my opinion are more African American than Black people. The term African American for black people makes no sense at all. Are the people African American, African or black OP?

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5 hours ago, Emergent said:

That's my interpretation. I basically think the word applies to African Americans who are perceived to be from places like housing projects.

The image called to my mind from the opening statement were some older Black nurses at the nurse's station who've worked together forever and a middle class White girl from the suburbs who is a little uptight and culturally out of her comfort zone quite a lot.

I'm assuming this is a nursing home since it's dominated by LPNs. Even if there isn't a racial component, I know from personal experience what it's like to be a freshly minted RN in a sea of experienced LPNs in a nursing home. It's vitally important to be extremely humble and realize that you'd better not be display any hint of superiority or attitude...

my thoughts exactly

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OP, thanks for calling out these bullies behaviors. It takes courage. Get away from these bullies as fast as you can. It's not you! No one would want to deal with that BS! Don't listen to any of the negativity!

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For all the people who are asking what the term "Ghetto" is... are you on the internet or what??

A quick search will lead you to multiple explanations and the historical context of the word

https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2014/04/27/306829915/segregated-from-its-history-how-ghetto-lost-its-meaning

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ghetto

and many other examples of historical context as well as the muddled usage that it has evolved into. It should take about 10 seconds to find.

The OP had a poor choice of words --- I am guessing she is young did not think about the power of that word and the obvious confusion and negative feelings that it can bring.

However, it was interesting, in a post about bullying, to read how many people piled on the OP and attacked her/him. A few people gently pointed out how to go about phrasing things in a more professional and PC manner, but far more people went straight to insults.

We do not know the intentions or heart of this person. Lets not judge them "racist" or an other "ist". Perhaps instead of vilifying and insulting someone who came here for help, we actually help them?

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I didn't think she meant anything about color just that she was referring to the fact that they acted like criminals, bullies, bad a**es, that's all. It's in Urban Dictionary definition number 2.

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
8 hours ago, Workitinurfava said:

How do we know that the people working in the nursing home or LTC facility are African American or Black? The last time I checked (worked in a LTC facility), many of the LPNs working in nursing homes were African minus the American, Africans that come to the states in my opinion are more African American than Black people. The term African American for black people makes no sense at all. Are the people African American, African or black OP?

I believe the current politically accepted term is "people of color"

Hppy

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
5 hours ago, wondern said:

I didn't think she meant anything about color just that she was referring to the fact that they acted like criminals, bullies, bad a**es, that's all. It's in Urban Dictionary definition number 2.

Whether she meant it as racist or not -- and after all this discussion, I wouldn't even take her word for what she meant -- it's an ugly label with distinct racial overtones. The OP doesn't like her colleagues, and her contempt comes dripping through. I'm sure that the colleagues have picked up on this, and they don't like her, either. Any "bullying" that happens in that situation is probably just a reflection of the OP's animosity and says more about *her* than it does about her colleagues.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
6 hours ago, buttercup9 said:

For all the people who are asking what the term "Ghetto" is... are you on the internet or what??

A quick search will lead you to multiple explanations and the historical context of the word

https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2014/04/27/306829915/segregated-from-its-history-how-ghetto-lost-its-meaning

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ghetto

and many other examples of historical context as well as the muddled usage that it has evolved into. It should take about 10 seconds to find.

The OP had a poor choice of words --- I am guessing she is young did not think about the power of that word and the obvious confusion and negative feelings that it can bring.

However, it was interesting, in a post about bullying, to read how many people piled on the OP and attacked her/him. A few people gently pointed out how to go about phrasing things in a more professional and PC manner, but far more people went straight to insults.

We do not know the intentions or heart of this person. Lets not judge them "racist" or an other "ist". Perhaps instead of vilifying and insulting someone who came here for help, we actually help them?

And helping the OP includes pointing out that she comes across as racist. And that if she's openly contemptuous of her colleagues, as comes across in her post, there's a good reason for them not to like her. You cannot complain of being "bullied" if your coworkers are responding to your openly negative opinion of them. You can work to rebuild workplace relationships and realize that is going to happen as long as you continue to drip contempt for your coworkers.

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On 4/13/2019 at 7:20 PM, Jory said:

Ever considered that she feels that way because of the way she was treated as a new employee?

She isn't part of the old nurses club, it's a group that is almost impossible to break into. I also think she needs to leave that place.

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I've read a few posts here. Not going to read anymore of it, moving on.

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