Bullying Prevention

Nursing is, by far, one of the most stressful jobs on the planet. Not only is a nurse in charge of keeping patients safe and comfortable and encouraging their healing, but the workplace itself can be quite competitive and stressful too. You may not think about it, but bullying prevention is vital in the environment. It can keep all members of the staff happier and enable everyone to provide a higher level of care to every patient you encounter.

 

One type of bullying that is especially prevalent in nursing is lateral bullying. Lateral bullying can take many forms ranging from physical abuse towards other members of the staff to bullying behaviors and even highly-negative attitudes that bring down the emotions of those around them. One thing that is consistent is that the bully is using power, fear or control to manipulate those around them (often those they are tasked with leading). Even if the bullying is targeted towards one person, the implications can be far reaching.

 

Any type of bullying behavior in the nursing environment is something that should be immediately addressed. It will bring down the morale of the entire staff and can make it much harder for every member of the staff to do their jobs right and serve your patients with the high level of care they deserve. Bullying at your job provides a disservice to everyone involved.

 

Whether or not you have seen lateral bullying or other instances of bully behavior in your workplace, it is important to keep an eye on things and make sure your staff are always kept abreast of what’s happening. By being proactive and going the extra mile to take care of these situations, you can feel more confident that your employees will be happier, (mentally) healthier and ready to do their jobs well.