Nurse Bashing

finn11707 · Jul 21, 2008

I began an inquiry along this line too. I have been a nurse for 3+decades and have noticed this consistently in almost all the agencies where I worked. Perhaps the culture of nursing needs to be looked at. In some units I've worked, it felt like a dysfunctional family. Poor management, peer or doctor-nurse relations are often why a nurse moves on. Are there any CEU confernces on this? I have a theory. Besides employers skimping on the part of the budget which supports, validates and thanks nurses----we are perhaps not as good at taking care of ourselves as we are at taking care of our patients. Still, what is with turning it on one another? I have nurse collegues who say they never develop nurse friendships to hang out with outside work.

puggy232 · Jul 21, 2008

I've read a few journal articles on what you are referring to when after my first year as an RN I thought I was going crazy with all the rumors, backstabbing, and out&out meaness of the nurses I worked with. The journals basically referr to horizontal hostility as a coping mechanism(not a good one)of nurses who are on a lower end of a system of hierarchy (sp?) I agree it should be addressed especially in nursing school so new nurses aren't discouraged and know how to protect themselves from these people who can be quite vicious.

GilaRRT · Jul 21, 2008

You most likely know the answer if you are among the group that "bashes other nurses." I bet you have some thoughts and ideas why this happens. Just to clarify for a moment? We are talking about the work place and not some of the conversations on this site. Many of the people on this site post thoughts and points that they may not even consider outside of this environment. This is kind of like lab where we are safe to perform mad scientist experiments. I would not take anything said in these forums to heart. Some of us may not even agree with what we post; however, we may take on a counter argument for the sake of good discussion.

I think you will find bullies on all walks of life provided humans and some animals are involved. I also find people who may not normally bully will fall under peer pressure and you can see how easily people start to gang up on the odd man out.

You simply cannot stand for this. If a nurse is a nucklehead and kills patients, send the nurse packing. No need to go to the level of some of the lowest human beings of known history. Call people out on bad behavior. A strong, aggressive, and unbending attitude toward many bullies will shut them down. Sometimes, you need to involve people echelons above your pay grade. Sometimes, the environment is so bad, you simply need to cut your losses and get out.

As far as friends at work: I do not associate with many of my coworkers outside of the office. I do not see this as a problem, as we are professionals on the job and should strive to act as such. This includes having your coworker's back if the are in the right. It also means taking proper action when they are in the wrong. Both are difficult to do and neither involve friendsip or even liking the person. You simply act the professional regardless.

SecondGenRN · Jul 21, 2008

I've read a few journal articles on what you are referring to when after my first year as an RN I thought I was going crazy with all the rumors, backstabbing, and out&out meaness of the nurses I worked with. The journals basically referr to horizontal hostility as a coping mechanism(not a good one)of nurses who are on a lower end of a system of hierarchy (sp?) I agree it should be addressed especially in nursing school so new nurses aren't discouraged and know how to protect themselves from these people who can be quite vicious.

sadly, the behaviour starts in nursing school. In my class it started in first year and has progressed to extreme levels. Not encouraging, often embarassing

Dixielee, BSN, RN · Jul 21, 2008

You most likely know the answer if you are among the group that "bashes other nurses." I bet you have some thoughts and ideas why this happens. Just to clarify for a moment? We are talking about the work place and not some of the conversations on this site. Many of the people on this site post thoughts and points that they may not even consider outside of this environment. This is kind of like lab where we are safe to perform mad scientist experiments. I would not take anything said in these forums to heart. Some of us may not even agree with what we post; however, we may take on a counter argument for the sake of good discussion.
I think you will find bullies on all walks of life provided humans and some animals are involved. I also find people who may not normally bully will fall under peer pressure and you can see how easily people start to gang up on the odd man out.
You simply cannot stand for this. If a nurse is a nucklehead and kills patients, send the nurse packing. No need to go to the level of some of the lowest human beings of known history. Call people out on bad behavior. A strong, aggressive, and unbending attitude toward many bullies will shut them down. Sometimes, you need to involve people echelons above your pay grade. Sometimes, the environment is so bad, you simply need to cut your losses and get out.
As far as friends at work: I do not associate with many of my coworkers outside of the office. I do not see this as a problem, as we are professionals on the job and should strive to act as such. This includes having your coworker's back if the are in the right. It also means taking proper action when they are in the wrong. Both are difficult to do and neither involve friendsip or even liking the person. You simply act the professional regardless.

GREAT POST!! I agree with you 100%. :yeah:

ANPFNPGNP · Jul 21, 2008

I began an inquiry along this line too. I have been a nurse for 3+decades and have noticed this consistently in almost all the agencies where I worked. Perhaps the culture of nursing needs to be looked at. In some units I've worked, it felt like a dysfunctional family. Poor management, peer or doctor-nurse relations are often why a nurse moves on. Are there any CEU confernces on this? I have a theory. Besides employers skimping on the part of the budget which supports, validates and thanks nurses----we are perhaps not as good at taking care of ourselves as we are at taking care of our patients. Still, what is with turning it on one another? I have nurse collegues who say they never develop nurse friendships to hang out with outside work.

I'm certainly not seeing this amongst Advanced Practice Nurses. It may be because we are constantly getting bashed by PA's (your should check out "Physician Assistant Forum"), so we know we have to stick together!

I'll say this, the professors who taught my BSN program were some of the most vindicative, evil people I had ever seen. They would single out certain people (in my day it was usually the males and the younger students) and either get them to drop out or flunk them b/c of something they did or didn't do in clinicals. In fact, my former school was sued by 3 students in my class who were treated horribly and unfairly. A lawyer, hired by that school, actually came to our class 2 weeks before graduation and asked us about what had been going on! There was even a write up in the local paper about one of the lawsuits - UNBELIEVABLE! Sadly, some people who would have made excellent nurses were kicked out or dropped out of the program.

So, my theory is that those mean nurses were probably treated poorly during school and then the downward cycle began.

:confused:

Acosmo27 · Jul 21, 2008

I do wish there was more camaraderie. My boyfriend is a firefighter, and I truly admire the brotherhood that he is apart of. IMO it has a lot to do with nursing being a female dominated profession not to mention being overworked and possibly a bit cranky... but I think we all know this already. Its just something that I have to get used to because I don't know that it will ever change. What I do know, is that once I become a nurse, I will do everything I can to have the backs of my peers and be a real team player.. and hope that I can receive the same in return. Kindness goes a long way.

rn999 · Jul 21, 2008

..this is actually one of my major concerns when I become a nurse. I am in my senior year and aside from preparing for to pass the NCLEX soon, I worry about how am I going to deal with nurses who eat their young and not supportive to new nurses. The best I could do is to hope that I'm not going to be discouraged and so threatened that I would turn my back and forget nursing. I wish that God will send me to place to work where nurses can still remember that they were onced inexperienced and be willing to support other nurses especially the new graduates.

But, of course- I also pray that I won't be a pain in their necks either. :lol2:

2shihtzus · Jul 21, 2008

I think it starts in nursing school. I remember one of my instructors saying, "There are STUPID nurses out there! Don't repeat their mistakes!" She did not instill any confidence or sense of team playing in us at all. I think they should make conflict resolution or working as a team a part of the nursing school cirriculum.

The amount of hostility between nurses bothers me tremendously.

Scubadiver · Jul 21, 2008

Before you start working as a nurse find out how the facility handles horizontal violence - what's the policy and how well is it enforced. As long as people sit back and say they just have to put up with it, nothing will change BUT if people decided to take a stand you'd be surprized how quickly things improve.

JB2007, ASN, RN · Jul 21, 2008

I hate to say this, but the back biting is everywhere. I worked as a CNA for several years and in a factory for another 7 years before becoming an RN and there was a lot of back biting in both work places.

Personally, I just stay away from the trouble makers for the most part. My day is stressful enough without getting mixed up in the B.S. that goes on in my workplace. However, if someone is bashing someone else while I am around I will tell them to stop. I know that people at work will sometimes talk about me, but guess what for the most part I don't care. I just tell people to make it a really juicy story if they are going to gossip about me because my life is fairly boring. This will usually get a laugh and that makes my day better. Sad to say so far no juicy stories about me have been reported back to me so far.

As to why people are this way, I decided a long time ago that there are a lot of miserable people in this world and they just do not know how to zip the lips. Sometimes other people just need to speak up and remind those back biters of the Golden Rule.