How to reply to bullying and rudeness towards nurses

Maybe it was a comment you heard long before you graduated from nursing school – the one about nurses “devouring their young.” This statement is unfortunately true for some nurses. For a occupation perceived as essentially the most honest and ethicalit seems unlikely that nurse abuse is an issue that many nurses face. However, the intimidation that some nurses face is hastening their exit from the occupation, resulting in high rates of staff turnover and contributing to the already serious deficiency. Bullying can often begin in nursing school report stating that 78% of nursing students experience bullying in school. This trend of bullying continues after school and might impact nurses in all practice areas and health care settings. Such behavior should never be tolerated. These can result in nurse burnout and unsafe working conditions. Bullying will not be the one problem. There can also be the issue of general incivility. Quoting American Nurses Association“Incivility is one or more rude, discourteous, or disrespectful behaviors that may or may not have negative intent.” In addition to bullying, nurses who belong to other nurses often face incivility.

Signs of abuse and rudeness towards nurses

Bullying and rudeness within the workplace can take many forms, from obvious bullying to more subtle insults. Some signs of nurse abuse may include:

• He is usually humiliated by others
• Rude answers to questions
• Spreading gossip, rumors or lies about someone
• Aggressive and inappropriate micromanagement
• Deliberately assigning patients difficult or dangerous tasks
• Rude or aggressive comments sent via email or text message
• Gas lighting
• He screamed

In some cases, bullying and incivility can escalate into threats of violence. It is price mentioning that, in fact, none of this behavior is in any way acceptable. If you’ve experience, every incident must be reported. Let’s discuss how in a different way nurses should take care of bullying or rudeness within the workplace.

What to do in the event you are a victim of bullying

The American Nurses Association provides suggestions on what to do in the event you are a nurse and are experiencing abuse. The first is to learn the foundations in force in your workplace. It’s necessary to know where to search out them and what they are saying. If you are feeling able, refer to the perpetrator concerning the abuse. This could also be difficult for some, but in the event you can do it, these discussions might be helpful and necessary. If you do not feel secure, you’ll be able to skip this. Your safety is vital. Report abuse in the event you experience it. Each facility can have a unique way of reporting such behavior, so it will be important to know and follow your organization’s bullying policy. Another necessary thing to do is to document each step of the method. As a nurse, you’re already accustomed to documenting your patients, and it is rather necessary to do that for yourself as well. Document the people involved, their behavior, dates, times and statements. Document who you told and when.

Addressing the issue of bullying and incivility towards nurses

It will not be the nurse’s responsibility to stop any bullying behavior. Preventing abuse must be a priority for healthcare facilities in any respect levels of management. Healthcare systems should adopt a zero-tolerance approach to workplace bullying and incivility. If you witness abuse or rudeness, say something. Don’t be a silent witness. If you are feeling able, speak to the perpetrator about their unacceptable behavior and communicate your findings through the suitable channels. If this happens to another person, please contact that nurse and offer your support. If possible, lend an ear and help support them, especially if you’ve witnessed a criminal offense. Help the nurse locate resources that may also help her work through her feelings about what is occurring, similar to counseling services offered by her employer. Another necessary step in stopping bullying is to evaluate your individual behavior. Consider the best way you refer to others and the best way you treat co-workers. Nursing is a high-stress occupation and the stakes are high. There will definitely be times if you feel this pressure, however it shouldn’t be an excuse to treat other nurses poorly. Each of your colleagues deserves to be treated with respect. Make sure you aren’t a tyrant. Ultimately, you need to feel secure and supported in your workplace. You have invested a lot in your education and nursing profession, so you need to give you the option to do your job safely. The culture of breastfeeding that involves eating the young shouldn’t be tolerated and unfortunately it is going to not go away overnight. However, this doesn’t mean that you need to put yourself in harm’s way doing all your job and accept untenable situations as “what they are.” If you have used the correct channels and do not feel supported by your employer, it could be time to look elsewhere. You are an asset to the nursing occupation, but this shouldn’t be on the expense of your personal safety and well-being.