the impact of bullying in nursing

<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The effect of bullying in nursing can be detrimental. Bullying is a form of aggressive behavior in which someone intentionally and repeatedly causes another person injury or discomfort. Bullying can take the form of physical contact, words, or more subtle actions. (<a href="https://www.apa.org/">American Psychology Association</a>) </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Growing up in a poor and corrupt country, I experienced oppression and bullying at an early age. Freedom of speech did not exist, and the justice system was very partial. Beauty was defined as being light-skinned with curly hair and European facial features. Only about 5% of the population matched that description.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"> In the past, some former classmates used to bully me. My mom truly helped me conquer the effect of bullying. Also, she has a very strong personality and really empowered me to be the best at everything that I do. The effect of bullying was very detrimental to me.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://i1.wp.com/nursesophiedebtfree.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/bullying1.png?fit=678%2C381&;ssl=1" alt="the effect of bullying on nursing care" class="wp-image-2923" width="508" height="286"/></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-effect-of-bullying-on-self-esteem">The Effect Of Bullying On Self-Esteem </h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">I remember telling some of my classmates to stop bullying me because they used to make offensive comments towards me. They refused to stop because they enjoyed the oppressive and ridicule jokes and ignored my feelings. I wonder if I was their sole victim? I internalized most of my feelings to pretend that the effect of bullying did not impact me. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It was beneficial that my mom taught me about self-esteem and courage because her advice kept me motivated and focused. I forgave all my oppressors because I realize that they are often unhappy and miserable people who experienced some type of abuse or oppression at some point in their life. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bullying-in-nursing">Bullying in Nursing</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">As a new graduate nurse, I never thought that bullying existed in nursing. I quickly noticed some apprehension toward new graduate nurses based on generational differences. At the beginning of my orientation, some of the senior nurses told me that they might have graduated a while ago, but they have been on the unit for many years and are very proficient nurses. <br></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">They also mentioned that I needed to listen to them and accept my patient assignments without complaining. They expressed the importance of challenging myself to become a proficient nurse. That was an oppressive strategy that they adopted to discourage new nurses from advocating for change at the workplace. The Effect of bullying in nursing can contribute to poor delivery of care.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"> The senior nurses&#8217; comments and perceptions truly shocked me. I shared my opinion with other new graduate nurses, and they validated my observation. My patient assignments were often very challenging in comparison to senior nurses. To avoid conflict, I decided to accept the assignments because I wanted to exhibit resiliency and teamwork so that I could fit in.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"> I later realized the more experienced nurses managed to go home on time and had time to take lunch breaks while I struggled with time management and patient care. I approached someone else to inquire about the strategy to complete my work on time, so I could also leave early. The senior nurses told me that I needed to impress the charge nurses first by accepting patient assignments without rebuttal.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-effect-of-bullying-on-delivery-of-care">The Effect Of Bullying On Delivery Of Care</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">I finally realized the rationale behind the constant frustration that most nurses often expressed about their assignments. It was all due to the effect of bullying in nursing. Besides, I witnessed multiple arguments between charge nurses and other staff nurses over patient assignments. Some nurses call it &#8220;unfair or unsafe assignments&#8221; because the patient list often includes multiple discharges, new admissions, and patients with complex medical needs. <br></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">When a nurse has to discharge multiple patients early during the shift, the nurse becomes available for early admission. There are a comprehensive nursing assessment and data collection that nurses should complete during each patient admission. This process can be lengthy when patients are unable to provide some of the information due to cognitive deficits or other medical reasons. Thus, the effect of bullying in nursing can impact the delivery of care.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://i1.wp.com/nursesophiedebtfree.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/bullying-workplace.png?fit=678%2C381&;ssl=1" alt="the effect of bullying on nursing care" class="wp-image-2925" width="508" height="286"/></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bullying-can-be-detrimental-at-the-workplace">Bullying Can Be Detrimental At The Workplace</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Nurses! It is unacceptable to tolerate bullying at work in fear of losing your job or for other reasons. The effect of bullying can be detrimental to your health and wellbeing. For example, some of my peers often try to intimidate me during nursing handoff, i.e., change of shift report because they believed every task should have been completed before the end of shift. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">However, nursing is a twenty-four-hour duty, so a nurse will not be able to complete all patient&#8217;s care in one shift. Besides, some nurses attempted to educate me at the patient bedside, I immediately stopped the behavior and reminded them that the location was inappropriate for an unplanned educational activity. <br></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">I am sure many of you can relate to my experience. Bullying at the <a href="https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/workspace">workspace</a> should never be accepted and should be reported immediately to your chain of command or Human Resources. In the past years, bullying contributed to <a href="https://nursesophieconsulting.com/signs-of-suicide-that-everyone-should-know/">suicide</a>. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conclusion">Conclusion</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">I learned to advocate for myself because I am not the problem. Unfortunately, I cannot live to please everybody. I can only strive to be the best that I can be. Everyone should stand against bullying. Besides, I obtained some knowledge in labor laws and able to reference some of the regulations to my peers and my superior whenever I express my concerns at the workspace. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It is very easy to blame yourself when being bullied or oppressed because the goal is for you to feel intimidated and uncomfortable. I have become an advocate for myself and others because the impact of bullying can be detrimental and sometimes irreversible. Lastly, I love my brown skin and have accomplished great things in my professional career. One of the best highlights in my professional career is when I was chosen to guide the royal couple. <br></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It was an honor to guide Prince Charles and his wife on tour as a clinical nurse supervisor. As you can imagine, I became more confident. The effect of bullying can be catastrophic, but you should advocate for yourself and others to prevent harmful events. You should believe in yourself, and you shall accomplish great things. </p>

You should call the doctor as a nurse whenever there are changes in the patient's…
A charge nurse role includes front line nurse supervisor, resource nurse, bed manager, peer reviewer,…
Completing a safe patient discharge as a nurse involves multiple steps. For instance, the nurse…
Obtaining the best nurse consultant jobs is not as difficult as you think. The registered…
Passing the NCLEX on the first attempt is the ultimate goal of every graduate nurse.…
The best nurses tribute during a pandemic includes uplifting, prayers, free groceries, medical supplies, and…
This website uses cookies.