Does bullying really go on in Nursing?

Nurses General Nursing

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I kept on hearing from fellow classmates that superiors and fellow nurses bully their young. Not in terms of physical bullying, but psychological. I don't understand this at all. Could someone please emphasize or provide any examples? Also, what offers them the motive to bully? Were they insecure during your youth?

I also heard that the bullying in Nursing is far more abundant than any other profession. My professors have joked that I will most likely not be bullied because I am 6'5 265 lbs and they will be intimidated. But, I don't understand this. Could someone please provide some advice on how to avoid this bullying treatment from other nurses? My entire class was talking about it, yet I had no idea about bullying within the Nursing circle until two days ago.

Random question, do Physicians get bullied around? or is that nearly impossible since their on the top of the food chain?

No one bullies me at work. You'll only be bullied if you allow yourself to be bullied. A confident, assertive demeanor goes a long way toward stopping crap like that.

Well, sometimes the little 1.5# baby girls take advantage of me, but that's about all.:cool:

I am a confident person but was also a fairly new nurse which made it impossible to be confident all the time. Being new means you do need help sometimes. That being said bullying can happen to anyone. It comes down to having to pick your battles. Sometimes I may need to bite my tongue when I feel like letting it all out, but I know that when someone needs my help (and they will, we all need help sometimes) They will get their comeupons. There is a core group of bullies at the hospital I was working at, and I refuse to be anyones doormat. They tried to dump their work on newbies while they sat on their large butts gossiping. They didn't like me because I refused to do as they wished. It was a very clear definition between new and old staff. New staff stuck together, old staff treated us poorly. It made me mad seeing them take advantage of the new staff time and time again. The new staff who was meak and shy got trampled quickly.

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Sorry if this is off topic but I am in the process of deciding to go the RN route or the RRT route....woud you say this same thing goes on with RRTs??? Does it happen with every healthcare profession or typically just the RN side.

I wonder if it would happen less with RRT's because there is a mix of male's and females, possibly creating better balance. ?

I've worked in places in a completely different industry where it was an all female staff and the same sort of backstabbing went on there so I believe it's definitely the reason for it all.

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Specializes in MDS RNAC, LTC, Psych, LTAC.
Absolutely bullying occurs in nursing and unfortunately some of it begins in nursing school among students, clinical instructors, faculty members, and nurses at the clinical facility. The best way to avoid it? Try to stay away from the cliques and don't participate in any of the gossip sessions that regularly occur.

Swtpea, I agree with you. I first dealt with it in nursing school a clinical instructor took a dislike to me and tried to say I wasnt a clincially competent student . There was a big meeting and my other clinical instructors stated I had no problems with them and it was dismissed. I later found out from my coworkers later when I was a new nurse we were talking about how hard nursing school is that this nurse faculty member that had abused me they called the tea and crumpet nurse because she always ate breakfast on the clock and then started patient care. She bullied me and one other girl in the class that year yet when I graduated she hugged me the hardest. This said though she had me do extra clincal time with her in ER and I think sick as it sounds her being mean made me work harder to show her. :D I should have known then that nursing was going to be a rough ride but I still love being a nurse. Its sad it goes on and it surprises people not in nursing when I tell them how some nurses are. We are this reputation of kindness and most of us are kind to our patients but we treat each other like dirt and for no reason. Competition to be overworked and underappreciated? I wish nurses would band together in all ways. We could rule the healthcare world but until we do the bullying will continue.....

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Home Health, LTC.

Yes yes yes. ( and in most parts of life now)

In nursing....more now than even 10 years ago ( in my experience)

Seems to be more prevalent in high population areas - more stress city life?

and much less in rural small town areas...there is more of a

caring family atmosphere in small town hospitals and facilities, and much better patient nurse ratio's in LTC etc.

Good luck to you and blessings

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first day of my orientation, I get the feeling that they didn't even want me in that unit. The unit manager just chats with this other nurse, and the nurse gets out 2-3 hours later because she's not done charting since she's been chatting with the young Unit manager about boys...But who am i to judge right? I just go with my preceptor and prayed to god she's nice. I tell them that I have no experience and they said it's alright, we all gotta start learning somewhere. At first I had no idea what to do so i felt more like a nuisance than helping my preceptor. But then as i go along, I asked a bunch of questions, good ones and dumb ones, i just had to ask it because where else am i gonna learn. I dont care if they think im stupid for asking it, its what orientations are for. I was not bullied but one nurse made me feel that she didn't want anything to do with me as soon as she found out that I was a new grad. I keep having to mention "DoN" to them that I was told by the DoN to be orientated there and be her orientee so that they wont pass me around. I changed my shift due to that nurse because I felt I would learn so much more if I went on someone else's shift and it was a very good decision. I got to learn a lot with two other preceptors though I got yelled at by my DoN for doing it..........I asked aDoN if i could change shift, she said ask jane, the one handling staffing, jane said its alright. Then DoN found me on the shift i switched to and her being a control freak(she admitted that to me in person before i started working for her) she yelled at me and told me I had to come to her because she's the one who will tell me what activities i have to do.....I never heard from her after the first day of my orientation...all she told the unit manager "let her push cart" and that was it.....But it's all right, sometimes when you're new you gotta swallow everything and just go along with it.

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Specializes in neuro med, telemetry, icu, pacu.

Geiokhae------ hey, i dont quite know what to say. usually they pick people to orient you that are some what open , friendly people....

i dont know your age or back ground, but some how or another, you might want to gently ask the nurse who is orienting you " do you remember when you were a brand new nurse? how did they treat you? what were your fears? "

perhaps ask about her personal life, her hobbies,her favorite books, some how you need to connect with her....and i would keep QUIET about your own personal life...they need to know nothing.....

pray for your co workers....pray for yourself....

go back thru your text books and refresh yourself about the kind of patients you are working with....

come here and ask questions....

i remember 27 years ago feeling like i was in atank with pirhanna's ( those flesh eating fish in the amazon).... and rule number one when swimming with anythign that feeds on flesh and blood--1. NEVER LET THEM SEE YOU BLEED!

AND yah , i will pray for you and your coworkers

lady c

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Current victim, so I can verify it does happen. I just smile and ignore the bully. It's harder to be unkind to someone than just get over yourself and lighten up :idea:!

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Specializes in neuro med, telemetry, icu, pacu.

do yah plan to stay a victim? or become a victor?

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Geiokhae------ hey, i dont quite know what to say. usually they pick people to orient you that are some what open , friendly people....

i dont know your age or back ground, but some how or another, you might want to gently ask the nurse who is orienting you " do you remember when you were a brand new nurse? how did they treat you? what were your fears? "

perhaps ask about her personal life, her hobbies,her favorite books, some how you need to connect with her....and i would keep QUIET about your own personal life...they need to know nothing.....

pray for your co workers....pray for yourself....

go back thru your text books and refresh yourself about the kind of patients you are working with....

come here and ask questions....

i remember 27 years ago feeling like i was in atank with pirhanna's ( those flesh eating fish in the amazon).... and rule number one when swimming with anythign that feeds on flesh and blood--1. NEVER LET THEM SEE YOU BLEED!

AND yah , i will pray for you and your coworkers

lady c

thank you Lady C, I am 22 and had no work experience before. And I look like I'm 16, most people say that and I somewhat get the feeling that theyd think I'm slow or be discouraged easily. I was desperate to learn from whoever my preceptor is gonna be because they just threw me in the unit and said just go with a nurse and tell them to orient you. So I picked the one that I felt I was gonna be able to connect to. She was older with more than 10yrs of experience, she was an excellent teacher and told me everything i needed to know when it comes to covering my end. To all the nurses out there that have oriented new employees, thanks a bunch, you're a big help to us new grads.

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Yes! But you can rise above, and not participate :) I keep work at work, and home at home. My stress is little to none.

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