LATERAL Violence. How Nurses treat Nurses!

HM2VikingRN, RN · Jun 28, 2007

There is a very warm place reserved in the afterlife for bullies.

JessicRN · Jun 28, 2007

hi!
i have had a very interesting experience with the aacn's "healthy work environments" initiative. it really does seem that one just had to "name it to claim it!"
i have posted an excerpt from the aacn's on-line and journal article on lateral violence - has anyone had any experience with these behaviors (below)?
how much of your practice is impacted by issues such as these!?
i know that, in retrospect, i have had a role or two that i am not proud of! however, i resolved that i would be a part of the solution - not a part of any problem. so, what do you recognize?
have you been a victim or a villain?
how do we stop this now?
please share your feeling, comments, observations or experiences.
thanks!!!
and
practice safe!
from the june 2007 edition of : critical care nurse
manifestations of lateral hostility
lateral hostility, bullying, horizontal violence, and the like may be conveyed in a nearly endless variety of forms that denigrate a nurse's professional dignity. some of those expressions identified in the literature include the following3,14,17:
* backstabbing, gossiping
* belittling gestures (deliberate rolling of eyes, folding arms, staring straight ahead or "through" when communication is attempted)
* constant criticism, scapegoating, fault-finding
* elitist attitudes regarding work area, education, experience
* humiliation
* ignoring, isolation, segregation, silent treatment
* inequitable assignments
* inflammatory angry outbursts, impatience
* insults, ridicule; patronizing, or condescending language or gestures
* intimidation, threats
* judging a person's work unjustly or in an offending manner
* making excessive demands
* sabotage, undermining
* unfair evaluations of work
* unwarranted criticism sarcasm
* withholding information or support
full text link at
http://ccn.aacnjournals.org/cgi/content/full/27/3/10?maxtoshow=&hits=10&hits=10&resultformat=&fulltext=lateral+violence&searchid=1&firstindex=0&sortspec=relevance&resourcetype=hwcit
thank you for any imput!

not sure what you want but been a victim of most of your points in last position. not by just one person but by the entire night shift because they thought i greived a fellow coworker which was not even true. did not matter though. brass was aware all the way to human resourses and don nothing done to them i was transfered to a sister hospital

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jun 28, 2007

* Backstabbing, gossiping
* Belittling gestures (deliberate rolling of eyes, folding arms, staring straight ahead or "through" when communication is attempted)
* Constant criticism, scapegoating, fault-finding
* Elitist attitudes regarding work area, education, experience
* Humiliation
* Ignoring, isolation, segregation, silent treatment
* Inequitable assignments
* Inflammatory angry outbursts, impatience
* Insults, ridicule; patronizing, or condescending language or gestures
* Intimidation, threats
* Judging a person's work unjustly or in an offending manner
* Making excessive demands
* Sabotage, undermining
* Unfair evaluations of work
* Unwarranted criticism sarcasm
* Withholding information or support
Full text link at
http://ccn.aacnjournals.org/cgi/content/full/27/3/10?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=lateral+violence&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&resourcetype=HWCIT
THANK YOU for ANY IMPUT!

I have experienced virtually all of these behaviors at the workplace since I first entered nursing. I'd hate to mention this, but I'm a female who has been treated much more respectfully at male-dominated workplaces such as factories, storerooms, etc. It has been my personal experience that nursing is far from a nurturing profession with regards to coworker treatment, because I am constantly having to watch my back.

FireStarterRN, BSN, RN · Jun 28, 2007

Isn't the word 'violence' a little strong? No, I've never experienced violence at work. Yes, I've encountered gossip, cliques, and some strong personalities. I don't call that violence, that sounds like a melodramatic overstatement to me.

allnurses Guide · Jun 28, 2007

Isn't the word 'violence' a little strong? No, I've never experienced violence at work. Yes, I've encountered gossip, cliques, and some strong personalities. I don't call that violence, that sounds like a melodramatic overstatement to me.

It can also be called horizontal bullying which may be a bit less melodramatic

FireStarterRN, BSN, RN · Jun 28, 2007

It can also be called horizontal bullying which may be a bit less melodramatic

Yes, a more accurate term. Workplace bullying is found in many fields, including nursing.

MrsMommaRN · Jun 28, 2007

i had a very excellent clinical instructor that once brought up the topic of lateral violence. we as student nurses were experiencing it on a unit we were on and we were feeling discouraged.

my example:

as a student nurse at level 2 we were assigned a patient for the day we did all of their care meds, dressing changes, anything the r.n. would do. we worked with our assigned r.n. in the moring we came in after the morning shift had all ready had their assignment and had been aware that we had so and so for a patient and needed acess to the kardex, charts, and etc. so here i am cheking the kardex nurse comes behind me grabs the kardex from my hands and says "i need this." i am thinking okay maybe a kardex emergency, no big deal. next i find my nurse for report. it's grabby kardex. i say "i am kimberly from xxx i am the student nurse that has your patient xxx today i will be doing his care. can i get report?"

nurse kardex rolls hers eyes huffs and says "no i'm busy. look it up. besides thats my patient today not yours.":madface:

i'm sorry thats just plain mean. i am just starting my practice, but i wil have to remember that i was once a student and to be patient with students and remember where i came from. yes it takes more time when you have a student, but you are training the future nurses.

FireStarterRN, BSN, RN · Jun 28, 2007

mom2bears... You call that violence? I call it a nurse that doesn't really want a student assigned to her patient because she's busy and not into it, it's just another demand on her time and the flow of her work. She sounds frustrated and probably fed up with her job, her life, and now she has to put up with a student nurse hogging up the chart and the kardex. Sorry she was impatient with you, but she probably doesn't want to be a nursing instructor and is frustrated with having to be one.

Lisa CCU RN, RN · Jun 28, 2007

mom2bears... You call that violence? I call it a nurse that doesn't really want a student assigned to her patient because she's busy and not into it, it's just another demand on her time and the flow of her work. She sounds frustrated and probably fed up with her job, her life, and now she has to put up with a student nurse hogging up the chart and the kardex. Sorry she was impatient with you, but she probably doesn't want to be a nursing instructor and is frustrated with having to be one.

It may not have been violence, but seriously, there is NO EXCUSE for being so rude to anyone.

No, her job title is not clinical instructor, but how on earth do you expect a student nurse to learn? It is sad that this is even an issue. Yes, she may be overworked, true she may have had a bad day, and of course nursing can be frustrating, but there is no reason to be so ridiculous.

You have to teach patients, so why not the students?

If one is patient, then maybe the student could end help HELPING that nurse.

If there is a legitamite issue with the student, I can understand you being upset, but for goodness sake, she only asked for REPORT.

It is a shame that some nurses don't get the simple fact that in order to learn to care for patients, you might actually have to take care of a few in school. :uhoh3: :uhoh3: :uhoh3: :uhoh3:

MrsMommaRN · Jun 28, 2007

yes i do consider that violence that behavior is not deemed professional by any means. i know i may be new to the profession, but i have been around the block a few times and no matter how bad it sucks somewhere you show others respect. if it is in line at the grocery store or at work. yeah it stinks to have a student hanging around you all day. but for the most part we did all the care for their clients we went to our instructors with questions then to the r.n. that had the patient unless it was life threatening. there were many days when the nurses would thank us for taking the majority of their load and making their day easier.

to the original poster i am sorry if i hijacked your thread.

FireStarterRN, BSN, RN · Jun 29, 2007

Once again, your definition of 'violence' is ridiculously broad. Also, students who think the world revolves around them ARE annoying. Students should be deferential to the nurses on shift, and not so thin skinned as to be totally exaggerating like you are. You have a lot to learn yet about nursing. Not everyone enjoys mentoring students, and the nurse in question was probably not well pleased that she was being forced to do so.