I was responding to another post and noticed that I, along with many others, tend to like to bash other nurses. Why is that?
I have worked in nursing for 27 years as a nurse and 2 more years as an aide and I have seen good nurses ran out of our profession because of no support from the other nurses they work with. Nasty rumors being spread about, back stabbing, etc.
Does this happen in other professions? Why is it that fireman/women, police men/women back each other up, their jobs are highly stressful and involve life and death but as nurses we try to eat our young/old/coworker?
You really touched a nerve here. I've been doing this for 32 years and have been alternately deeply touched and appalled by how I have seen my fellow nurses treat each other. I too can identify with your self-examination process. I am currently enrolled in an MSN program because I deeply believe that how we educate our nurses can and must improve...the other post was so right in saying that this behavior was learned in school! This behavior certainly isn't limited to nursing but my goodness, in our profession when we have to give so much of our energy in our work, why waste it on hurting each other??? Much better to be supportive of each other instead and "have each other's backs." :anpom:
From what I have observed over the years concerning nurses and backstabbing each other etc. Nursing is a very hard job period. The pay can be the *****! and most of the time the staffing is short because of money issues with the facilities and management that doesnt get involved with these issues so they continue. A lot of nurses are tired of the working conditions and demands that are put on them by management and the public. The constant pressure of the job the stress this causes makes many nurses become territorial and unwilling to accept newcomers as equals because they feel the newcomer as somebody who they have to put up with along with their other job demands. There can also be a certain resentment towards other staff who are not as educated as they are and helping to relieve their stress they lash out against that particular staff member its a way of venting their personal frustrations with their job and its workload. Nurses are constantly faced with the daily legal issues of the job and making mistakes can cost them their license. So putting the blame on others might also be their way of protecting themselves from blame should a legal issue concerning patient care come up. (med errors etc.)
Its a shame that it is this way. There are many wonderful nurses out there who are caring and love their jobs if only they could be left alone to do their job they way they in their heart know how to then maybe the backstabbing would cease.
I think that much of the gossip, backbiting, and bullying would go away if there were strong leadership who have a zero tolerance policy. I have a zero tolerance policy in my facility, and strong unit managers and supervisors. I have their backs, and they have mine. It took awhile to get there, but after much education and more than a few coachings, we are finally at a point where the backbiting and gossip are not part of the everyday life of the building. I want to stress the education part of this--team building, how to handle job stress, time management. A creative staff developer who can really connect with the line staff is a must.
Scubadiver
24 Posts
I'm really glad you re-read your post. And I'm also glad you are re-looking at how you do things and that you want to change. Good for you!