Challenge Tips

Identify The Behavior

Published

Today is day 1 of the Celebrate Civility challenge. Today's tip is to identify the behavior.

To face bullying head on, you have to be able to name the issue and discuss it.

“There are a lot of people who are turned off or are resistant to the term bullying and want to put a more positive spin on it. But, to name a thing, is to take its power away,” says Dr. Cole Edmonson, DNP, FAAN, and Chief Nursing Officer of at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas as well as lead author of “Finding Meaning in Civility: Creating a No Bullying Zone” from Clinical Scholars Review, Volume 6.

Understanding what bullying looks like between nurses can help you be aware of when it is going on in your unit.

Examples include:

Non-verbal innuendo
Verbal affront
Undermining activities
Withholding information
Sabotage
Infighting
Scapegoating
Backstabbing
Failure to respect privacy
Broken confidences

Have you witnessed these kinds of behaviors between nurses? Share your stories with us here or in our Facebook group.

Find this helpful? Use the social media links on the left side of your page to share it with a nurse and invite them to join Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation! Join us on day 2.

Blog Challenge Tips 07/22/2018 9:41pm CDT

Added by Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation (HNHN)

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11 Comments

ChristiM Dec '19

Kbgoldstein‍ I am so sorry to hear that your facility has such a bad bullying problem for the day shift! Is the incivility from other nurses or others in the facility? I know you said that nothing would be done if reported, but if it was brought to someones attention that staff does not feel comfortable working that shift and it maybe became for difficult to staff that shift - would someone in charge be willing to look into the problem?

Kbgoldstein Dec '19

On nights we function as a great team, all working together for the greater good of the patient. On days, however, there are a few that I would consider bullies, and not just to those who are new to the unit either. I have both witnesses and been subjected to eye rolls, condescending comments and being made to feel downright stupid for even speaking. Nothing will be done and it is useless to report for fear of retribution. It is the main reason that I and most of my coworkers have passed up day positions on our unit.

VaporK8 Dec '19

Important stuff, not just to work by but to LIVE by!

Beaming Dec '19

When nurses work, nurses look like angels.

Mary S Dec '19

I agree with Angela and Sharon nurses must support each other especially our new nurses. As I hear my coworkers complaining about another co-workers, I ask if they talked to the nurse who they are complaining about the answer is usually no. I then tell them they can not complain about the situation until they educate the nurse about what they are doing that is substandard.

Sharon B. Dec '19

Angela Bonaby you are right! Nurses must start supporting each other and stop looking the other way. Together we can make a difference.

princessofone Dec '19

As I consider my workplace, I am very fortunate to work with a team that usually works really well together. Our director, that does not have clinical background, can feel undermining although I think it is her way to try to control stressful situations and the stress in her life. I believe some nurses do some scapegoating but all in all a pretty great team!

ROPER Dec '19

It’s nice to be important but it’s also important to be nice. I think as nurse we forget at time.

Jeni Dec '19

I can think of several examples of these particular traits on my unit looks like I have work to do

Maureen Falcone Dec '19

As we strive to create healthy workplace environments, I think it is important to understand the concepts of incivility and bullying. Recognizing and then dealing with these behaviors can empower nurses to treat each other with kindness and promote healthy workplace environments.

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