To Nurses Who Bully: A Message That Needs to Be Heard

[Angela carnes]

 To Nurses Who Bully: A Message That Needs to Be Heard 

Nursing is a profession built on compassion, respect, and care — not just for our patients, but for each other. When bullying happens among nurses, it breaks down the very foundation of what nursing stands for.

 You may have forgotten, but every nurse was once a beginner. We all had shaky hands, unsure voices, and moments of doubt. No one becomes strong by tearing someone else down.

Bullying isn't leadership. It isn't toughness. It's a betrayal of the oath we took to advocate, support, and heal. When you bully, you create fear instead of teamwork, silence instead of learning, and pain where there should be encouragement.

 "Nurses eat their young" should never be a tradition — it should be a warning that something needs to change.

If you've bullied someone, it's not too late to reflect, apologize, and do better. Real strength is shown in kindness. True leadership lifts others up.

 Be the nurse you once needed.  Be the colleague who heals with words, not wounds. 

 

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Good post.

"Nurses Eat Their Young" is a vile phrase that should go away and is not true.  It's disrespectful of us to brand our profession this way.  99% of us are not bullies just trying to make it through our day the best we can.

 

[Emergent, RN]

This post contains every buzzword. By the way, there are bullies in every profession. It's part of human nature. There are hierarchies that are part of who we are, they also exist in the animal kingdom.

There is no instant acceptance by any group. There is always an initiation period of time that one must endure. I've experienced it, for sure!

Incidentally, I've seen younger nurses form cliches and bully the older nurses. Good leadership helps, but good leaders are rare. And often those leaders are receiving pressure from on high. They're trying to secure their own futures, livelihoods, and place in our current system, which is very imperfect.

[heron, ASN, RN]

This might get me moderated right off this thread, but I'm gonna say it anyhow.

Your mother doesn't work here.

If you're old enough to cash the paychecks, you're old enough to be responsible for your own behavior. I get that being bullied is a form of abuse and you have the right to heal from that. Venting here instead of the nurses' station is a good start.

I also get that working with emotionally needy colleagues is draining. If you're working bedside, it can be lethal. No human can be endlessly therapeutic, and god's off the hook because of free will.

There are multiple sides to every story, though. You get the respect that you give.

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