What is the worst case of bullying you've seen in your nursing career?

Lev, MSN, RN, NP · May 10, 2015

I truly hope this is a troll thread. Your example is not bullying. Hospital staff has priority to chairs, computers, and space. My clinical instructors used to say that we were "guests" at the hospital we did rotations at. As a student you need to make yourself available and tell the staff so. If they felt ignored it's because the staff was too busy to give them much attention and/or they weren't jumping in to help at every possible opportunity. It's kind of hard to ignore someone who's helping you. I hope you don't go into your first clinical rotation or first job with this attitude because it won't get you very far. There are a few bad apples in every group, but for the most part if you go in with a good attitude and ready to learn and help out, you will get no so called "bullying" in return.

Guest878640 · May 10, 2015

No, this is not a troll post.The clinical director said that every time they sat down, someone took their chair away. Yes, the staff had priority in seating. However, I'm sure there were times when chairs were available. In addition, I've been with the clinical director, she is very helpful and try to make her students helpful to the staff. The unit was so unwelcoming to the students, that it was eventually sealed off by the University. Students were no longer placed there.

Gooselady, BSN, RN · May 10, 2015

Good. No one can learn a thing where students aren't welcome.

Anyway, nursing does have a problem with lateral violence, but it depends a LOT on the unit or facility. I've been around for 24 years now, and found one or two very sick places to work out of several (I would have two PRN jobs at the same time when I moved, for instance, so I was hired and worked in a lot of places).

Usually what you'll find is 'there is one wherever you go'. A person who is just difficult to get along with. It's true whatever your field or place of work. Human nature isn't always sunshine and rainbows. The nursing environment is so stressful and demands so much (mostly when you have hardly anything left to give) that people are not always on their best behavior. This just happens, it's not bullying, it's just people too tired or stressed to be professional. I found that just about everyone will have their moments where they aren't on their best behavior.

The best advice I can give to new nurses is to get ready to grow a nice, thick skin. Not just because of coworkers; you'll get a lot more 'abuse' from patients and their families .

Another one is ASSUME the person who perceived snarked or snapped at you as 'having a bad moment'. If they snark and snap 75% of the time, the person is a jerk. Give lots and lots of 'breaks' to your coworkers due to the stress and strain of the job. Forgive much. This isn't a New Age woo/love everyone/white light thing -- it's main function is to keep your focus on your patients and your plates spinning in the air.

It has worked VERY well for me to deliberately assume people mean well. Extreme cases are obvious, and the exception rather than the rule.

My last hospital job had nursing students from two local community colleges. We'd all be at the table ready for report and the students would pile in and there was standing room only. As a student, OFFER your chair to a nurse if she's standing next to you and staring at your computer . She/he needs it. In general, I like working with students and it IS more work and stress as well as rewarding and helpful. As a student, you are required to learn from other nurses, but not exactly ENTITLED to it, if that makes sense.

Respect and deference to the nursing staff training you goes a LOOOOONNNNNG way :) . Jump out of your chairs and give them to the nursing staff. Your clinical instructor is fostering an unhelpful attitude, and setting students up, I'm afraid. Sometimes, no, most of the time, there really are NO MORE CHAIRS .

Put yourself in the nursing staff's place. Always consider where they are coming from. Nurses really like being helpful, and we are total suckers for gratitude. It's not about butt kissing, I'm talking real gratitude and respect. Nurses training students still have to get all their work done on time, are held to the same standards, same patient load . . . so see what you can immediately do to be helpful. Come right out and ask "what can I do that would be helpful for you right now?" You might be told "just sit down and don't talk to me until I finish charting" or you might be asked to do something. One thing you can always do is check water, empty garbages, straighten the room a little, empty and record pee, record I&O, all that without being specifically told.

And be OK with being a novice, being told what to do, making mistakes and accepting responsibility for them. In other words, be humble, as this promotes absorptive learning :)

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B · May 10, 2015

The only thing you should psychologically prepare yourself for is the realm of patients that you will see in any given day. If you are in acute care, you could have patient's dying, fighting to live, be fighting for function....lots of possibilities in any given day. And you can burn out, it can take its toll, if you are not mindful and careful to keep work and personal life separated.

There are "bullies" everywhere. In other words, there are people in our lives, whether it be work or personal who are not our own ideal of professional, who emotionally drain us (

You are only as good as your nursing character, trust and practice. So if that means navigating other professionals whose style is less than ideal, THAT is how to make things work to the advantage of the patient.

Best wishes.

Guest219794 · May 10, 2015

Possibly this egregious example.

There simply is no way to prepare for the hell you are about to encounter. After a year in the hospital, senior nurses undergo rigorous training in bullying and harassment. What new nurses don't know is that once hired, a customized plan is made on how to most effectively bully them. It is modeled after a care plan, and in fact is the only real use for the nursing care plan you learned in school.

Some new nurses have found this effective.

Instead of preparing yourself to be a victim, maybe you should focus on how to be a good nurse. Lots of great stuff you could be reading right now that will help you better care for patients.

Come in to work ready to do your best every day. Look for opportunities to learn from and help other more experienced nurses. Accept that in the real grown up world, you will be dealing with a variety of personalities, and that you choose how you will be perceived by others.

Good luck.

FlyingScot, RN · May 10, 2015

I'm going to start working as soon as I pass the NCLEX. I have heard a lot about bullying in the nursing field. I was wondering what is the most severe form of bullying you've seen in your career? I want to prepare myself psychologically for the worst.
For me, I have heard a clinical director speak of one clinical practicum taking place at a hospital where they were ignored by all the staff. They were not even allowed to take a seat because every time someone sat down, a staff would come and take their seat away from them.

Your clinical instructor should be focused on preparing you to be a nurse.

Libby1987 · May 10, 2015

One time by the owner of a HH agency. She was pretty twisted and bullied and MF'd everyone at one point or another, bounced payroll checks as well. She preyed on the single parent offering more money than they'd ever receive anywhere else and once they were settled in would she would tear them up. She tried to do it to me but I wasn't vulnerable enough and tore her up at the labor board. She was decertified unsurprisingly. She was brilliant but sick.

That was my only experience personally or as an observer.

anewsns · May 10, 2015

those nurses are lucky to have the time / luxury to stop their day to take chairs from nursing students.

(Excuse a little sarcasm)

I actually take chairs from people sometimes too.. If someone, any staff is sitting and chatting , non patient related, and I need the spot for the phone or computer, I'll be like "scuse me" (politely) And they'll be like "oh no problem !" Or sometimes I just displace them by sticking a new chair in and having them roll over a little. I'm guessing these nurses are just busy and in their own heads, and long winded niceties go out the window sometimes. student nursing charting comes second to RN charting. And if you're sitting for a break , you need to go to the break room or somewhere away from the bustle

KelRN215, BSN, RN · May 10, 2015

I don't see anything wrong with staff taking seats away from students. Students shouldn't be sitting in the breakroom, they should be with their assigned patient. Day shifts in the hospital are insane. There are limited work stations, more nurses working, managers, case managers, PTs, OTs, MDs, nutritionists, respiratory therapists and the like who need to share limited chairs/computers. Students on them are probably in the way and need to move. When I was in nursing school, we were not allowed to sit in the nurses' space. And when one of my former colleagues had a clinical group on our unit she told them that she better not catch them sitting in the back room.

Guest219794 · May 10, 2015

those nurses are lucky to have the time / luxury to stop their day to take chairs from nursing students.
(Excuse a little sarcasm)
I actually take chairs from people sometimes too.. If someone, any staff is sitting and chatting , non patient related, and I need the spot for the phone or computer, I'll be like "scuse me" (politely) And they'll be like "oh no problem !" Or sometimes I just displace them by sticking a new chair in and having them roll over a little. I'm guessing these nurses are just busy and in their own heads, and long winded niceties go out the window sometimes. student nursing charting comes second to RN charting. And if you're sitting for a break , you need to go to the break room or somewhere away from the bustle

Bully.

How dare you prioritize patient care over somebody's feelings.

allnurses Guide · May 10, 2015

I have been a nurse since 2002 and have never, not once been bullied ---- Nor have I seen it. Sure their are crappy people in the world who don't know how to treat others but that does't necessarily make them bullies. If you go in expecting to be bullied you will see it everywhere. If instead you go iin with willingness to accept that all people have differences in personality and how they manage stress, you will be better able to deal with the day to day rigors of the job. Remember just because someone says something that makes you feel bad doesn't mean you have been bullied.