Nurse Mobbing/bullying

grannynurse FNP student · Mar 18, 2006

Not only do nurses bully in the workplace but I have found they do on message boards as well. I have had the experience of being mobbed, not on this board, but another one. I try to ignore the worse of the offenders but I am not always successful

Grannynurse:balloons:

music · Mar 18, 2006

I was recently a victim of Nurse Mobbing and bullying. My situation pretty much started on day one when I rubbed the secretary the wrong way (how I did that is anyones guess) As a result I remained on extended probation for 8 months even though there was no incidents against me no documentation that I did anything wrong in fact I aced all tests and was considered the "smartest person they ever met". Although this bullying was identified by both the nurse manager and the charge nurse they did nothing nor did my union. I was finally sent to the night shift where the bullying stopped for a 7 months then started up when I asked to be replacement charge nurse just like everyone else on the floor including a RN who just signed on after being a traveler for 15 months. Again it was known by the nurse manager and supervisor and director of Nursing but no one did anything. In fact the charge nurse openly told these people that I was blackballed because I went outside the family went to the union and made a petition. (I did nothing of the sort except to go to the union and ask what was required to be replacement charge). I was finally screamed at by a male nurse who is 6'3 350 lbs and when I told him to stop yelling he yelled "bite me" in the midle of the hall in a busy ER for all to hear.
I was terrified to go back to work because of this and the other incidents and went to HR he admitted he did this and said "it is the only way she will listen"
As a result I took another job in the same company but a different hospital.
The bottom line is nothing happened to any of the staff they are still there without so much as a reprimand. I almost had a nervous breakdown and they just smile and walk away:angryfire

This is a very important point that you have made regarding being in a union. You state that they didn't help you with this problem. This is something I have said time and again to those wanting a union where I work because they don't like their managers. Guess what???? The union won't come in and get rid of people you don't like or can't get along with. The union just takes your dues, puts your hospital on their list and moves on.

Unions can only do so much. If you have someone bullying you at work, document it professionally, state in your documentation that this person is creating a "hostile work environment", give your manager a copy, a copy to his or her manager and a copy to human resources. State in the letter that you will take it higher if the situation is not corrected. There are laws against workplace harrassment. Those who are harassing you will get a good lesson in the law and if you do it in a calm and professional manner, you will set the example for others who are being treated badly. They will learn to speak up professionally also.

I see that you stated you left that hospital because they did nothing about it. That's too bad. Best wishes to you in your new hospital. You did the best thing for you and moved on. Sounds like they weren't worth sticking around for anyway. We have a major nursing shortage and hospitals still don't get it that they have to help stem the tide by treating nurses in a better manner. It's up to EVERYONE and unions are not going to make nurses treat each other better. Sometimes the union organizers are the ones who create the worst treatment of others by encouraging this type of behavior against those who are not union friendly.

Here's my take on unions. I'm disappointed in hearing that they did not come to your aid on this. If they had, I would be a little more amenable to listening to their reasons for joining. But if you have gone through this and can't even get their backing, why are they there? I thought they were the ones who were going to swoop in and solve all of nursing's problems.

I rest my case. Some unions are good I hear so this is not an assault on unions in general. I have seen many posts on this board from nurses who strongly believe in unions and they state good reasons for doing so in their particular situations. I just think many nurses misunderstand exactly what a union can and will do for them. Unions can't solve every problem and sometimes they create more problems. It is up to us as professionals to stand up to bully behavior ourselves. No one else is going to do it for us on a daily basis in our individual work places. Speak for yourself and do it in a professional manner.

HarryPotter · Mar 18, 2006

I have been an advocate for anti-harrassment and bullying in the heath care industry for years and actually was able to stop that kind of behavior many times. Recently, I found myself in the victim role, with a harrassing boss who was able to ruin my reputation where I was working. I went to my union, who basically did nothing. The powers that be are very powerful and, bottom line, nothing was done and I left. Its a terrible problem and, unfortunately retaliation of "heros" is common, as I found out. I was in such mental anguish about my situation that I sought psychological help. The psychologist pretty much told me to "get out while you can" and even added "have you thought that she (the bully) may be going after your license? So sad.

pickledpepperRN · Mar 18, 2006

Another good book specific to nursing:

Nurse Abuse: Impact and Resolution (Paperback)

by Laura Gasparis (Editor), Joan Swirsky (Editor)

http://www.gift-of-life.com/nurse.htm

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0962724602/qid=1142706559/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/104-0238831-6301565?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Mar 18, 2006

:angryfire the director of nurses threw a chart at me when i started a new job as an lpn. when i asked her why she did it she said "you didn't tell me you were going to call the doctor" i was "new" and didn't know she wanted to be notified before i called a doctor. i was furious! :angryfire :angryfire i told her " b****. i don't care if you are the director of nurses. let's go out to the parking lot and finish this" she refused to go outside with me. i finished my shift and told the administrator that i quit and would not be returning and why. she begged me to stay. about 6 months later the administrator called me and said "that crazy woman is gone now. can you come back now? i said no thanks i have another job now.

i know someone (a cna) who has had a "crazy" supervising nurse call her a few names and throw a chart at her when she assumed that my friend had messed up on the spelling of a doctor's name and was wrong; my friend had not messed up the spelling!

in any case, my friend did not quit initially because she had worked there for so long. however it took a health toll on her and she had no choice but to quit later. so that is why i am writing to say good for you! and god bless you for standing up for yourself and leaving that situation!!!

Meerkat · Mar 19, 2006

Wow...I JUST walked in the door, and this was the first thread I noticed. Surprising because as I type I am still in tears. I was sent home tonight...not in a mean or disciplinary way, but because I broke down after the fourth incident this week of having someone bully me. I had another thread on this too.

I simply MAXED out my tolerance level tonight. I can't stop crying. It wasn't even a particularly bad incident tonight, it is just the straw that broke the camel's back.

Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences...it makes me feel not so much alone.

JessicRN · Mar 19, 2006

This is a very important point that you have made regarding being in a union. You state that they didn't help you with this problem. This is something I have said time and again to those wanting a union where I work because they don't like their managers. Guess what???? The union won't come in and get rid of people you don't like or can't get along with. The union just takes your dues, puts your hospital on their list and moves on.
Actually the union rep is the person who started this in the whole place. When I asked what is the policy for charge and if this is so why am I the only one who has to take a course. I did it by email,she without ever talking to me took it up to the director of nursing who inturn told the Nursing manager who took the other new nurse aside and said because I greived him he was to stay off charge for awhile (that turned out to be 1 week and without a course he is charge again and I am not??) I have 27 year expience as a nurse 14 in the ED's and 12 in management he has 6 yrs all in the ED. When I asked the union rep why she did what she did she said it was not a greivance but a concern!! I still got black balled even after it was explained by the nurse manager they it was a complete miscommunication. But a confidential letter went from my union rep to the nurse manager to the nurse without my approval.

HarryPotter · Mar 19, 2006

JessicRN: I suppose you could complain to the head of your union, it probably wouldn't go anywhere, but you would have a papertrail of the event.

pickledpepperRN · Mar 19, 2006

JessicRN: I suppose you could complain to the head of your union, it probably wouldn't go anywhere, but you would have a papertrail of the event.

That is so.

Usually nurses volunteering to represent their colleagues do a great job.

Sometimes not.

I would hope the union employee labor representative would educate her.

In CNA our nurse representatives are elected. They can be unelected too.

JessicRN · Mar 22, 2006

I did talk to the union reps supervisor and he told the union can intervene if there is a breech of contract which he stated this was. The strange thing was the nurses are all still charging without any course (there never was a charge course offered nor will there be)the ban only lasted 2 days and this is with the blessing of the union. So where was the breech? Also grievances are supposed to be confidential where was the confidentiality and why did they have the write to forward a confidential email to the director and why was she able to forward the same confidential letter to the nurses involved and the nurse manager.(I know it was not a grievance but the nurse manager told the staff that it was).

HarryPotter · Mar 23, 2006

hi there.

You sound very upset. I had trouble understanding your train of thought re the events. What do you think is going on? What are your specific concerns? Thanks.

JessicRN · Mar 29, 2006

Just responding. My train of thought is fine thank you. Of course it made me upset I was forced out of a job because of it. Nurse bullying happens everywhere and it is condonned by all that is all I am saying.