How is Bullying even a thing in Nursing?

Even if you are the nicest and most knowledgeable person in the room,

you can still be a victim of nurse bullying.

In my five years of experience as a nurse, I never thought it's still going to happen to me. After all, I have been a nurse for quite a while. There's nothing they can use against me, right? Wrong.

And the alarming thing is: I'm not alone. Every year, new nurses fall into a trap of ill-induced cycle of power tripping.

Outside view

The nursing profession has a stellar reputation when it comes to being the most trustworthy profession in the United States. Throughout the early 21st century, nurses have earned top ranking in the annual Gallup poll on ethics and honesty. Needless to say, the American public consistently views nurses quite favorably, and the nursing profession continues to serve as the very lifeblood and connective tissue of the U.S. healthcare system.

Unfortunately, despite the ranking that we enjoy, there is an unknown culture of nurse hazing, bullying, name-calling, and disruptive behavior on hospital units throughout America. Sadly enough, these acts of behaviors and workplace situations are sometimes subtle and many nurses don't know when they become victims or predators even.

How nurses cope

Bullying, which the American Nurses Association (ANA) defines as “repeated, unwanted harmful actions intended to humiliate, offend and cause distress in the recipient,” is an extremely serious issue that threatens patient safety, nurse safety and sanity, and the reputation of the nursing profession as a whole.

It can be emotionally and mentally draining to victims. Sometimes they just suck it up, would likely hesitate volunteering extra shifts, and just avoid the bully, but others, while they try to act tough, they would just resign or worse, leave the profession altogether.

A study done in conjunction with Vanderbilt University Medical Center shows that an estimated 60% of new nurses resign within six months of hire due to verbal abuse or unprofessional treatment from a colleague. While most nurses will not disclose this incidence during exit interviews with their supervisors, they speak freely when reporting  anonymously or in private confidential forums.

Injecting change

Some hospitals implement rules on how to deal with bullies at work. It can be thru anonymous emails and direct reporting with the supervisor or a higher chain of command if it concerns the manage/supervisor in charge. Others offer educational sessions and paid classes that effectively promote unity and harmonious relationship among staff.

However, it is important to note that change starts with oneself. As nurses, we must realize that our silence equals complicity in the face of bullying and aberrant behavior; standing up to bullies and advocating for a culture of kindness, civility, and compassion for both patients and staff are in the best interests of everyone . Champion civility in your place of employment, and work to counteract nurse bullying in all of its insidious forms.