Workplace Kindness

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Oct 17, 2020

I'm sorry- workplace 'violence' happened where in this story?

LovingLife123 · Oct 17, 2020

I don’t understand. You feel bullied because your preceptor said you should take a break? Is there more to this story? I don’t see that as an insult.

amoLucia · Oct 17, 2020

7 minutes ago, meanmaryjean said:

I'm sorry- workplace 'violence' happened where in this story?

Am thinking the same! Workplace bullying, yeah, maybe. And for how many mornings have you had to wait for someone to be assigned as preceptor?

Very sadly, you've done a major disservice to our colleagues who have truly experienced workplace violence by equating their misfortune with your inconvenience and 'embarrassment'.

Maybe just a poor choice of words on your part. But you seem very defensive. Being a 'middle-aged new grad' makes you no different than all the rest of new employees, younger or older, experienced or not.

In fairness, your unit doesn't sound overly friendly & organized. So if you were expecting a more friendly, welcoming unit, unfortunately you lucked out. That's the reality of a lot of facility jobs - past, present & future.

Sour Lemon · Oct 18, 2020

45 minutes ago, meanmaryjean said:

I'm sorry- workplace 'violence' happened where in this story?

It's ridiculous and makes my eyes roll all over the place, but I recall some required "education" (Healthstream) that refers to these types of situations as "violence".

OP, poor staffing is usually a major influence when nobody wants to take an orientee/student. It's more work on top of an already impossible workload. I don't know what to make of the comment, honestly. I'd have to see the entire shift, plus know you and know the preceptor. Without more information, it could be interpreted as silly or hostile.

amoLucia · Oct 18, 2020

Sour Lemon - you are correct. It would behoove (I LOVE that word!) us to see a larger pic of OP's unit with all staff, incl OP, interacting.

Oh, to be that proverbial fly on the wall!

speedynurse, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Oct 18, 2020

6 hours ago, Amy0420 said:

As a new grad, I worked with different nursing preceptors (colleagues) every day during my orientation period. I was excited to join the team. Unfortunately, most of my colleagues were unwilling to teach. Every morning, I had to wait for a long time for anyone who finally agreed to take me for the day. It's embarrassing, but I knew I had to suck it up cause I am a middle-aged new grad. For me, shift work is not the most challenging part of the orientation. Instead, workplace violence hit me the hardest. Yesterday, my preceptor took more than 1.5 hrs break during the 8-hr-shift and specifically told me to cover his patients. Spending all my time on patient assignments, I had no time to eat and drink or took any break. At the end of the shift, based on his observation, he gave me a written comment on the evaluation form, like "unable to schedule a break, which could cause burnout. Keep yourself well hydrated and nourished could make your brain clearer." I took the comment as an insult but said nothing. I know I was bullied cause I am new and vulnerable. Any suggestions to deal with workplace violence like this would be much appreciated. Thank you!

I don’t think this is workplace violence. Having worked in the ED - having patients throw things, curse, give threats, etc.....that’s workplace violence. There may be some bullying or not the easiest unit to get used to.....like a clique which sadly does happen in some units.

LibraNurse27, BSN, RN · Oct 18, 2020

It sucks that your preceptor left you alone for 1.5 hours. Usually preceptor and orientee take breaks together, until orientee is ready to cover the pts during preceptor's break. If it keeps happening, maybe you can ask your preceptor if you can take your break at the same time? I know it's hard to speak up when you're new and want to fit in, but approach it in a non accusing way. Maybe just say you don't feel ready to be on your own yet.

Unfortunately he may be taking advantage of having an orientee because he usually doesn't get a break =/ I couldn't say unless I knew the dynamics of the unit, as in does anyone cover nurses' pts for official breaks, or do people just try to eat when they can but are never officially on a break?

I think people are reacting to the bullying being called workplace violence because those words have a specific meaning in nursing, indicating violence nurses face from patients, often physical violence. But what you are experiencing is still distressing, and standing there while everyone argues about having to work with you... terrible. I hope you can stay strong and make the best of your orientation, and if it keeps going this way maybe there is a better floor to transfer to!

JKL33 · Oct 18, 2020

21 hours ago, Sour Lemon said:

It's ridiculous and makes my eyes roll all over the place, but I recall some required "education" (Healthstream) that refers to these types of situations as "violence".

Yes.

It is the ANA and probably other organizations who try on the one hand to sort of differentiate various workplace-related harms but then also use the words nearly interchangeably at times.

https://www.nursingworld.org/~49d6e3/globalassets/practiceandpolicy/nursing-excellence/incivility-bullying-and-workplace-violence--ana-position-statement.pdf

There are a lot of agreeable statements in the above document, but I do think that workplace violence should be separated out and dealt with all on its own. That anyone would ever be able to consider a stressed vocal tone or a slight by a coworker to be "violence" is an insult to those whose lives have actually been forever altered or even lost due to workplace violence. Additionally it's hard to see how conflating the various issues inappropriately helps move us forward in working against them.

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OP, your situation sounds way less than ideal. It is very unfortunate. It does sound like your preceptor did wrong and then tried to criticize you for a situation that he had a huge hand in facilitating.

But please don't conflate this with violence. It is definitely inappropriate but it falls more squarely and specifically under the heading of "incivility."

I suspect you will not garner much assistance or sympathy in your workplace if you choose to portray his incivility and poor judgment as some sort of ultimate violent act.