have you been discriminated against or harrassed by other nurses

Nurses General Nursing

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How many of you have felt discriminated against at work or harrassed because you are a certain ethnicity, gender, body shape, anything? I would like to know because it seems that everywhere I have worked some harrassment is actually accepted and ignored by management despite no tolerance policies. I actually e mailed my manager a few weeks ago stating I felt harrassed at work and I was completely blown off. I am stunned.

I think I might get a more serious response from human resources, but instead of making waves; I'm just looking for a new postion.

What are your stories?

There were comments and certain behaviors directed toward me because I was not one of the "majority" at work. I had a big choice, stick it out because I needed to work, or do without a job. No good to move to another employer because all of them have the same "majority".

without more details it's impossible to sympathize. you must know that there are a lot of the perennially aggrieved out there-- somebody said here that some people go through life expecting to get upset over something every day, and lo, they do. it's possible that hr blew you off because, well, your aggrievedness didn't rise above the standard of "pull up your big girl panties and deal with it." we see these threads all the time here with people who feel disrespected and harassed because somebody criticized their work ethic or work behavior or some fool thing as being unprofessional (and usually, their critics are right :D but they reaaaallllly hate to hear that we agree with the critics), so it's easy for me to be cynical. as i said, though, i don't have the details.

I actually e mailed my manager a few weeks ago stating I felt harrassed at work and I was completely blown off. I am stunned.

I think I might get a more serious response from human resources, but instead of making waves; I'm just looking for a new postion.

What are your stories?

these types of stories, are as old as the nsg profession.

how long have you been a nurse, because i am "stunned" that you were "stunned".:coollook:

and i hate to be the bearer of bad news, but i seriously doubt you'd get a more serious response from hr.

mgmt expect us 'adults' to try and handle any internal conflicts.

if, after confronting these people, it still persists, then you go up the chain (in writing) to see what can be done.

and that is IF ignoring these people, doesn't help.

now, if you are getting harrassed because of your ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation...then those are complaints that should be taken seriously.

all i can tell you, is if you encounter this in every facility you work at...

it may be time to consider if you're doing anything to elicit such neg responses.

wouldn't looking for a new job, likely follow the same pattern?

i wish you well.

leslie

Hello again. Yes, to you all...I have done nothing ever to bring on discrimination except be a certain color with a certain body shape that some women seem to envy and hate. Despite baggy clothing, excellent performance history, and being exceptionally compassionate, nice and respectful towards my co-workers....people seem to find pleasure in spreading malicious rumors about nothing truthful. In fact....NO ONE knows about my personal life. So not only am I being discriminated against, but others as well. Others seem to placidly accept it with their tails between their legs. I find it is errosive to the healing environment and the individual to pander and allow gossips and mean spirited people to discriminate and harrass. I have seen it everywhere and yes....I have been an RN for MANY years. I am constantly surprised that humanity can be so cruel to one another....and here it is blatantly in this post as well. I can assure you I have worked hard to make all comfortable no matter how petty or catty they are...and because of my race I could have made a lawsuit out of this kind of thing for a living. So, maybe you are some of the nurses who are the types who perpetuate this terror onto people. With the kind of responses you have given...you should look into your own mirrors. How compassionate are YOU? Really.

I could be cruel to people as well. I choose to take the high road. Try being black. Happy Martin Luther King Junior day.

h

Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

We hope that you have some peace with your job. If not, it may be time to move on. We do wish you the best.

Hello again. Yes, to you all...I have done nothing ever to bring on discrimination except be a certain color with a certain body shape that some women seem to envy and hate. Despite baggy clothing, excellent performance history, and being exceptionally compassionate, nice and respectful towards my co-workers....people seem to find pleasure in spreading malicious rumors about nothing truthful. In fact....NO ONE knows about my personal life. So not only am I being discriminated against, but others as well. Others seem to placidly accept it with their tails between their legs. I find it is errosive to the healing environment and the individual to pander and allow gossips and mean spirited people to discriminate and harrass. I have seen it everywhere and yes....I have been an RN for MANY years. I am constantly surprised that humanity can be so cruel to one another....and here it is blatantly in this post as well. I can assure you I have worked hard to make all comfortable no matter how petty or catty they are...and because of my race I could have made a lawsuit out of this kind of thing for a living. So, maybe you are some of the nurses who are the types who perpetuate this terror onto people. With the kind of responses you have given...you should look into your own mirrors. How compassionate are YOU? Really.

I could be cruel to people as well. I choose to take the high road. Try being black. Happy Martin Luther King Junior day.

h

Can you go more into detail about your job environment? What is your race and what is the race of your co-workers?

Also, what 'certian body shape' do you have? what are they saying about it??

I'm just going to stop here because it will only bring more negativity if I continue. I can tell you I am Black in a Hispanic and White populace. I've described my body shape already. I work in a hospital, a busy med-surg unit with high acuity. I just wanted to hear others stories; not get berated as if I am the problem. I just wanted to know how others deal with discrimination. It exists. It damages. The other post reenacted today involving harrassment has my comments regarding this issue. I thank those who are understanding. But i can assure you, jealousy exists in this female dominated profession. And some women, despite their education, choose to remain infantile and catty. Rumors can damage a persons carreer. Rumors come to lable a person unfortuately.

Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

Have to agree with traumaRUs in that it might be time to look for another job. Could just be a toxic environment.

We do wish you well.

I'm just going to stop here

Thread closed.

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