Why are nurses such back-stabbers?

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Why do nurses feel the need to "tattle" on colleagues to the boss for petty things? Behavior like this does nothing to elevate our profession and everything to keep us down. Why are there some nurses who feel superior when they tell on someone to the manager? This recently happened to me and I thought I had a good rapport with my co-workers yet one of them ratted me out to the boss on an off-the-cuff remark that I made. Why does this happen? Is it because the majority of nurses are women and women are catty individuals. I'm a woman btw. From now on though, I am just going to do my work, and only talk to the other nurses/aides about clinically relevant stuff only. Other than that, I'll keep my nose in a book. Actually, I won't be working at this current place much longer. There are staffing issues that put my license in jeoprady so I am starting a job hunt after the holidays.

So, why do we do this to eachother?

I don't think either sex gossips more than the other, I think it's fairly equal. I do, however, think there is a difference in how the each sex deals with gossip. I'm a male nursing student and the last job I had was for an airline. At this job there was a fairly even split of males and females. Most of the females worked in ticketing and most of the males worked outside on the ramp with a few crossovers here and there. Anyway, it was like any other place as far a gossiping goes, it happens, it's just a fact of life. The women would gossip about so and so being a phoney kiss ass, and the men would ***** about so and so being incompetent and lazy. In fact, the two people who dished the most dirt in the entire place were both straight men working on the ramp. It was actually quite funny.

Back to the point. Although both the men and women do the same amount of gossiping..... women are more typically labeled gossipers for the way they deal with it. Men gossip and talk about each other but typically don't get hurt by it as easily as women. We tend to shrug things off a lot quicker and easier and, in a way, that diffuses a potential fire. Women, on the other hand, seem to get wrapped up emotionally in whatever was said and instead of shrugging it off, take it to the grave with them and whoever else happens to be in the way. Not literally of course..... but the point is that it has a bit of a snowball effect on the female side.

It's nice to be a man.... our memories are much shorter..lol

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Specializes in Case Manager, Home Health.
i was told i was too nice, how can that be?...didn't know that was a deficiency. so i am trying.

why don't you try it out on them? if they ever complain "you are too mean" tell them you are practicing how to "not be too nice" and thank them for the tip with an evil smile. i'll bet they won't know what to think then... lol :devil:

and for what it's worth, there isn't any way to be "too nice" that's a ridiculous notion fomented by those who don't know how to be nice.

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Specializes in Pediatrics (Burn ICU, CVICU).
I have no idea what you are talking about when you say I have no ideal what your are talking about, ideal is there perfect conception of an idea or thing, it is not the actual idea. College education is a hard thing to point out without immeadiately coming under more intense scrutiny. I have no ideal is grammatically incorrect.

You have my head spinning now...:bugeyes:

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Re: why are nurses such back-stabbers?

Nurses are employed and work with other females day in day out. The problem seems to be the lack of the male gender that would set those women into place, and would shut up those gossipers. The best advice, ignore those mean spirited female.

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I work with several men and they seem to enjoy hearing happenings at work just as much as the women. I hear lots of gossip from them!

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Specializes in Case Manager, Home Health.
I work with several men and they seem to enjoy hearing happenings at work just as much as the women. I hear lots of gossip from them!

Gossiping is not the same as back-stabbing, although those who do one often do the other.

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Gossiping is not the same as back-stabbing, although those who do one often do the other.

You have a point there. I'll admit, I prefer working with men.

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i'm in my 50's and been an "LPN" for a long time...in the good old days when we were valued and cared about as much as our rn colleagues. at the stroke of midnight...over and over as the laws changed...we suddenly became stupider and stupider. "yesterday i knew how to hang blood but as of midnight today, i don't". these changes came about because nurses do "eat their young" and the entire health care system and the nursing profession has suffered. why? i think there is a huge insecurity issue, especially among rns, which is what made them push for such changes in the profession. now, things have changed so that rns on the floors in various facilities can hardly manage their patients, and those who really can't flee off to management and task force positions. meanwhile we've got questionable bedside care staff and overworked rn's and poor patient care. if we had stuck together and have all fulfilled our various positions within our scope of nursing, we would be a force to reckon with today. but...........look at us now

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Specializes in Day Surgery/Infusion/ED.
Re: why are nurses such back-stabbers?

Nurses are employed and work with other females day in day out. The problem seems to be the lack of the male gender that would set those women into place, and would shut up those gossipers. The best advice, ignore those mean spirited female.

Wow. I hope that if you graduate your attitude toward your future co-workers will have improved.

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Specializes in School Nursing.
i'm in my 50's and been an "LPN" for a long time...in the good old days when we were valued and cared about as much as our rn colleagues. at the stroke of midnight...over and over as the laws changed...we suddenly became stupider and stupider. "yesterday i knew how to hang blood but as of midnight today, i don't". these changes came about because nurses do "eat their young" and the entire health care system and the nursing profession has suffered. why? i think there is a huge insecurity issue, especially among rns, which is what made them push for such changes in the profession. now, things have changed so that rns on the floors in various facilities can hardly manage their patients, and those who really can't flee off to management and task force positions. meanwhile we've got questionable bedside care staff and overworked rn's and poor patient care. if we had stuck together and have all fulfilled our various positions within our scope of nursing, we would be a force to reckon with today. but...........look at us now

:uhoh21: Couldn't agree with you more ! Great post !

LPN 90

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Greetings Stopnik,

I love your post. You are absolutely correct, which really has affected the nursing profession. It sounds like your back in high school. I've worked over 30 years in healthcare. I've noted a decrease in work ethics and a decline in our social structure as it relates to moral and ethical issues. Much of research I've done or reviewed has shown a high percentage of nurses have low self esteem, co-dependent issues, and/or some form of addictive behavior. Not until nurses develop healthy overall attitudes and coping mechnisms, as a profession we will never grow to our fully protential. If nurses don't treat each other with respect and professionalism. How can we expect other to treat us with RESPECT.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

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not saying that they were right for tattling on you, because most likely they weren't but what exactly was it that you said? Just out of curiosity

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