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
I was thinking the same thing, but decided to bite my tongue until now.
Members such as Tom and Tweety state that they are never victimized; however, both of the aforesaid nurses are males. I might be wrong, but I think that people in general are less likely to engage in bullying behavior toward males. For example, some male docs are notorious for screaming at female nurses, but they will turn around and behave in an even-tempered manner toward the male nurse. Being male has some societal privileges, whether anyone wants to believe it or not.
I've read that docs tend to treat male nurses better than they do the female nurses (this is, obviously, a sweeping generalization).
I think females are less likely to attempt to bully males. I have seen a number of male bullies in various workplaces who target men as well as women. However, they are almost always in positions of seniority. I've never seen it laterally.
Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.
The best thing you can do with a gossiping bully is to call them out (without anger) in front of everybody. Ask them about what they said, and remind them of everything they've said about everyone else standing there. Ask them if something is going wrong in their personal life, and why they say such hurtful things about others. That'll shut them up faster than anything.
But the answer to your question is no, emphatically no. I know a couple of gals who no one would dare to attack either. I think its your own personal inner strength. I dont know how else to describe it.
Thanks for your answer, Tom. I believe it takes a lot of inner strength to ignore some of that garbage - but what was going on at this hospital was WAY above the norm.
To be honest with you, I would rather work with the guys every time - I deal better with them.
I've read that docs tend to treat male nurses better than they do the female nurses (this is, obviously, a sweeping generalization).
I think females are less likely to attempt to bully males. I have seen a number of male bullies in various workplaces who target men as well as women. However, they are almost always in positions of seniority. I've never seen it laterally.
I've observed the doctor/male nurse thing many times, but I HAVE seen the attempted bullying of male nurses several times over the years, and got involved when I thought it was taking a malicious turn. I don't like bullies - and I've never learned to mind my own business, I guess.
As to your message that this nurse is so frustrated with life, who gives a damn what she's going through at home. Leave it there! When your at work you behave with professionalism. Period. You should'nt burn bridges cause you never know if you need that same person for a favor later.
Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.
As to your message that this nurse is so frustrated with life, who gives a damn what she's going through at home. Leave it there! When your at work you behave with professionalism. Period. You should'nt burn bridges cause you never know if you need that same person for a favor later.
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.
:nono:That was violence, it is not necessary to treat another person so rudely. If she did not want to have a student for the day it would have been more appropriate to just tell the instructor that. I am sure that she was a student at some point in her career. Students are also called human beings and they have feelings.
Specializes in Med Surg, ER, ICU, LTC, DRUG & ETOH.
oh yeah, i remember and let that memory keep me from ever doing or being what i experienced as a new nurse. i was assigned to work with a nurse whose mom was the clinical leader and it was so bad even the techs were feeling sorry for me. she told me not to worry about report, she'd catch me up , for me to just start assessing the whole 18 pts, then made fun of me when i hadn't had time to note orders, then sent me to remove a central line in the groin of a deceased person and laughed at me when he bled out. later in the day her mom called me to her office to find out why i was so slow. this was only part of what went on, and i was so drained, beaten down and humiliated at the end, i thought of quitting nsg all together !
oh yeah, i remember and let that memory keep me from ever doing or being what i experienced as a new nurse. i was assigned to work with a nurse whose mom was the clinical leader and it was so bad even the techs were feeling sorry for me. she told me not to worry about report, she'd catch me up , for me to just start assessing the whole 18 pts, then made fun of me when i hadn't had time to note orders, then sent me to remove a central line in the groin of a deceased person and laughed at me when he bled out. later in the day her mom called me to her office to find out why i was so slow. this was only part of what went on, and i was so drained, beaten down and humiliated at the end, i thought of quitting nsg all together !
Music in My Heart
1 Article; 4,111 Posts
I've read that docs tend to treat male nurses better than they do the female nurses (this is, obviously, a sweeping generalization).
I think females are less likely to attempt to bully males. I have seen a number of male bullies in various workplaces who target men as well as women. However, they are almost always in positions of seniority. I've never seen it laterally.