Lateral Violence

[SnowShoeRN]

Sigh. You guys, I am so saddened by all the lateral violence on my floor. And it's not just that. It's the bad attitudes too.

Anything from calling staff members "weird" or a "snob" to calling them super inappropriate terms pertaining to their body parts and/or sexuality. And the problem is, the biggest perps NEVER take it seriously. I have implored people to think about what they're saying and management even sends out emails now and then.

But today, after I listened to 2 nurses bad-mouth a friend of mine (I have since sent them emails, had no idea what to say at the time), someone was talking about someone else and referred to her as - let's just say - a very-inappropriate-sexual-slur that rhymes with "more," right as a an elderly patient and his wife were walking by!

Patients have mentioned it to me, float nurses have mentioned it to me, staff nurses on MY FLOOR have mentioned it to me....my floor is just SO cliquey to the point where it can be mean and very unprofessional. People don't want to be floated to my floor because of the exclusion. *I'm* a snob because I actually stick up for myself and refuse to gossip.

So I wrote yet another email to my manager and my nurse educator telling them all about the latest and asking them to please re-post the policy, send out another email, and ask staff to take it seriously.

I guess it's out of my hands now. I don't think there's anything else I can do. :/

Anyone out there have similar issues? How did you handle it? I'd love to hear your stories.

[BabyLady, BSN, RN]

I'll be honest..the floor was like that before you got there and is not likely to change..that is just how it is in some areas. I work in a unit, that is like that too and finally one of them a few months ago made the mistake of saying something about me within earshot and figured out very quickly how I would stand up for myself in second...after that, I was treated better.

Be careful about sending e-mails to co-workers about matters that do not directly concern you ie. them talking about another co-worker..b/c they "get off" on getting a rise out of someone and you would just be playing into their game. Reposting of the policy is not going to help because they don't care.

Every hospital has a policy regarding harrassment. It is up to the victim, to follow the channels if they feel they are being harrassed. My advice is to continue to stay out of the gossip as you have been doing.

Sometimes...you can use that gossip tree to your advantage. I worked with a senior nurse who took an intense disliking to me for no reason and there probably wasn't a day that went by that she wasn't hounding me for something and it was getting out of control. I made sure that I told everyone that would listen,that if it continued that I was going to file formal harrassment charges against that nurse with HR...knowing, it would get back to her.

It eventually did..and that was about a year ago...she won't speak to me now...lol...which is exactly the way I like it :).

[tewdles, RN]

Sending out an email is not going to cure the problem you have on the floor. The management have a problem on their hands and they will have to come up with a much more "hands on" plan to address it. The interactive presence of management on the floor, exuding a professional attitude and demeanor, while demonstrating what is expected and what will not be tolerated is required.

IMHO, it is management that is at fault when groups of employees run away with the morale of a unit in this childish fashion.

[handyrn]

In my opinion your unit/floor needs to have some team building activities. Getting management on board with this can be a problem though. Maybe you could approach management and ask them to let you head up this task. If they would give you some time, say 15-30 minutes at the end of an inservice, or let you do some activities in the breakroom/locker room that might help a little. Look online for team building activities such as putting together a bulletin board with a featured employee of the week/month/etc. You could conduct interviews and post info and pics about a person but not disclose who they are and have everybody guess the identity. Just small things like that. It might not change anything on your floor, but, then again, it might. If nothing changes, at least you took the initiative and tried. And maybe would be a selling point for future job applications.

[OCNRN63, RN]

There are quite a few threads on this issue. You might want to do a search to get some additional ideas. It's a big problem.

[NaKcl, BSN, RN]

it is management that is at fault when groups of employees run away with the morale of a unit in this childish fashion.

I agree with this. The manager set the tone of the floor.

[notjustanurse]

it is management that is at fault when groups of employees run away with the morale of a unit in this childish fashion.

I agree with this. The manager set the tone of the floor.

Absolutely. It takes work, but a manager can stop that kind of behavior in its tracks. And should. Sadly at my facility, my manager is one of the worst to gossip.

[mentalhealthRN]

If you have gone to management and gotten no where I myself would try HR and the hospital DON. A big issue here to me is that beyond the environment this is creating for the regular staff this is going beyond the regular staff. This behavior is effecting the patients. When the patients are aware of it and complaining this is a big problem. When floaters won't come to your unit because of it something more needs to be done. Do you know who the hospital Director of Nursing is? That is who I would be talking to. Let her know about the floater complaints and the PATIENT complaints. To me sitting quietly and doing nothing is as guilty to contributing to the problem. I have worked in too many places with this type of volitile environement that it's sad. I actually just picked up a new book at the library yesterday called "Defusing Angry People-Practical Tools for Handling Bullying, Threats and Violence" by Kevin Fauteux, PhD, MSW, MDiv--just started it but hoping it will both help me to better deal with this kind of hostile environment at work with the co-workers as well as in dealing with patients who become threatening and/or violent. Maybe you would find it helpful as well.......just figured I would pass along my find. But good luck to you and I hope you are able to get some support from the hospital DON. I have gone to mine in the past at one hospital and she couldn't have been any nicer and more interested in what I had to share with her.

[GHGoonette, BSN, RN]

I agree with all those who put the blame fair and square on the UM's shoulders. That kind of behaviour should be tackled by firm disciplinary actions; the fact that this has not been done indicates any or all of the following:

1: The UM is too weak and afraid of offending these staff members.

2: The guilty parties are friends of hers.

3: She herself is guilty.

4: She's not there to work, just to earn a salary; consequently she can't be bothered to do the work of a proper manager.

Yes, by all means take this further. If your friend is aware of the scurrilous things being said about her, she is fully within her rights to bring a case of libel against the guilty parties, provided you are prepared to stand as a witness. Your department is in urgent need of a thorough shake-up, and a nice little civil case might just achieve that!

[GLORIAmunchkin72]

I agree with the others. Your unit is a reflection of who runs it...

[shoegalRN, RN]

Go to the CNO and the CEO. Let them both know what is happening on the unit. And give concrete examples.

[SnowShoeRN]

Thanks for all your input, everyone. For some reason, maybe because it was so late, it didn't even occur to me to do a search on this last night. But after I posted I did and got a lot of good threads, responses, related stories etc.

I've heard back from my manager who seems genuinely surprised and upset that these things are happening. I figure I'll see where it goes from here and depending on the outcome then take additional steps.

Thanks again. :)