Bullying in the workplace

Ruby Vee, BSN · Sep 30, 2016

There are bullies in the workplace. In the past forty years, I've encountered two of them. Of course, if you go looking for bullies, you're going to see them everywhere -- even if there aren't any bullies at your workplace.

When someone complains about how awful it is to work with other nurses, how many bullies they're encountering or how "it's all because nurses are females and females are caddy", they're telling us much more about themselves than they are about their colleagues. They're telling us that not only are t hey finding it difficult to get along with others, they're laying all the blame off on everyone around them instead of accepting some of the blame themselves.

In fact, I often find that those who are screaming the loudest that the workplace is full of bullies are, in fact, the real bullies.

Asystole RN · Sep 30, 2016

Nursing is what you make of it and keep in mind those who are upset, disgruntled, and have had bad experiences are far more likely to communicate their negative experiences than someone who is simply content and happy.

You rarely hear, "Guess what? I am entirely happy and content and do not have a single adverse event to report." Not because people are not happy and content but reporting the lack of adverse events is weird.

roser13, ASN, RN · Sep 30, 2016

Bullies are everywhere, in every profession. It's a characteristic of a person, not of a profession.

evastone, BSN, RN · Sep 30, 2016

There are nurses that I sometimes find difficult to work with but they aren't bullies, just people I don't get along with. Often, exhaustion and irritability can be mistaken for hostility and bullying. I learn to roll with it. Yes, bullying does exist, but it's not rampant in the nursing field.

SmilingBluEyes · Sep 30, 2016

After many, many years in the working world (military 10 years and nursing 19) I have encountered a few bullies or people who wanted to take a bite out of me. Problem is, I don't taste too good and have a very tough shell that is not easy to crack.

I look for the best in others, and 99 percent of the time, I am not disappointed. You get what you look for often.

PrincessAlexiss · Sep 30, 2016

why are some of you being so rude

BrighterdaysRN · Sep 30, 2016

I was warned of this phenomenon before I ever entered my first nursing program, but I haven't experienced much of it at, and I've worked in different fields, places of employment, etc. I have encountered a couple, but I feel like that happens in all areas of life, not just nursing.

Graduatenurse14 · Sep 30, 2016

I've worked in other fields (public school teacher and fundraiser) besides nursing and hav found that there are more bullies in the nursing field than the others which were also mostly female. Yes, teachers can bully each other and it's been written about but no where near the level that is experienced and written about in nursing. There are even nurses who have seen a need thus created successful businesses to help decrease bullying.

I have found that the nurses who deny that bullying is a real issue in our field are usually the biggest bullies- and I've only been a nurse for two years but was a nursing assistant for three years while in school.

roser13, ASN, RN · Sep 30, 2016

I have found that the nurses who deny that bullying is a real issue in our field are usually the biggest bullies- and I've only been a nurse for two years but was a nursing assistant for three years while in school.

Now THAT is a sweeping generalization based upon 2 whole years of experience with (presumably) 1 workplace.

loriangel14, RN · Sep 30, 2016

I feel you get bullied if you expect it. I've never had an issue and honestly I never heard of the expectation before I came here.

twinmommy+2, ADN, BSN, MSN · Oct 1, 2016

What I find more than bullying in the workplace, is that there is a lot of complaining, talking behind others backs. It sucks and I just try to be cognizant of myself and my own actions. You will also find that the attitude you present with when you walk in the door with reflect onto your other coworkers. They will be more open to you if you are calm, open to others and helpful.

I like others though haven't seen rude posts here. Just real insight from nurses in the workforce.