Bullies In The Work Place !

TazziRN, RN · Apr 4, 2006

We had one. Most, if not all of us who worked with her went to the boss repeatedly but the answer we always got was "You need to learn to work with her." Nothing we did worked: she ignored us when we tried to talk to her, was in denial, or would change for a little while then slip back. I worked with her the most, and I was dreading returning from maternity leave. The day I came back I found out the day before had been her last day, and I almost did a happy dance!

We no longer have the same nurse manager and the ones we've had since then have jumped on potential problems right away.

LPN1974, LPN · Apr 4, 2006

We have a couple of bullies on my job, but they are on the dayshift and I work evenings.

However, some of their bullying does fall over on evenings if they decide they want to do so.

Our DON seems powerless to do anything with them.

She can do something with certain OTHER employees if they get of line, but she doesn't, won't or can't....don't know which, but she doesn't confront these two bullies.

Seems like we don't have team work with these two.

They think they, for one thing, are the only ones who do anything, and we know that isn't true.

Then if the evening shift leaves something out for them to take to one of the homes our people live in, they complain about it.

One of the bullies threatened to slap another nurse once, and told her if she fell out that door on that hard concrete sdewalk she wouldn't stoop to help her up. It gets bad sometimes.

Ya can't win for losing with these two on my job. Never ending battle.

There are other threads on bullies on this BB.....if ya do a search I'm sure you'll find many.

thumperRN · Apr 4, 2006

We don't have a major prob with that, thank goodness. We have a couple of "know-it-alls", but know one that is particularly threatening. I've come upon some very bossy and lazy people, but I just remain assertive and let them know I am not a doormat, and everyone is expected to pull their weight. Bullies should be reported, plain and simple. LPN1974, the DON is NOT powerless, just dismissive. Take it to the BON. This attitude should not be tolerated. Especially if one is threatening violence against another co-worker. :madface:

buildingmyfaith57 · Apr 4, 2006

but the big question is here if you do report it shouldn't the manage or d.o.n see both sides and not see who is telling the truth? i mean what if its the bully that is telling the manage or d.o.n lies about another co-worker?

millkay · Apr 4, 2006

I've encountered a couple of different kinds of bullies in the workplace. I can take the threatening kind. There's a legal recourse against them. I had a clinical coordinator (unit manager) that denied me raises or let me have only the barest minimal amount, while my co-workers got raises with leaps and bounds. She refused every request for vacation I submitted, often months in advance, then she would turn around and given the exact week to two other people. At every eval she told me I was a mediocre nurse. During this time I went back to school for BSN, got CCRN certified, becoming the only nurse in my unit with any certifications, and worked as charge nurse on this unit. Finally, I got upset and called her on her crap. I had requested to move to other departments of the hospital, and was blackballed by her at every step. At then end of every transfer interview, the manager would tell me I was the top candidate, but they needed to speak to my current manager before I could transfer- so I never got to move anywhere. I went to HR and they said there was nothing they could do, she was the boss. Finally I got into a big arguement with her, over her suddenly wanting me to work straight through Christmas, to cover shifts and I told her NO. So she had me fired for my bad attitude. I should've left long before that point. But a weight was lifted off my shoulders after years of stress. Still would like to give her a swift kick if I ever ran into her in public. Anyone else ever have to deal with this kind of stuff?

CHATSDALE · Apr 4, 2006

thank goodness there is no one like that at this time but i have worked with some in the past..

the overt bully is easier to handle than the covert...with the open bully everyone knows what is going on..if they smile and say nasty little things if you respond they look surprised and say that you don't have a sense of humor..if you say nothing they get all smug and know that they won the round...

sometimes walking away into a new job is your only way to keep your sanity