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September 03, 2008
Joint Commission Rallies Against Nurse Bullying
I am in total surprise that the Joint Commission has decided to focus on nurse harassment and bullying, along with lateral violence in the workplace. We all know that it exists. But, is it the role of a national agency that accredits hospitals and care standards to address this ongoing, worsening problem? Is the Joint Commission going to create a standard of some sort? Will it really be effective in stopping lateral nurse violence? I don’t think so.
I do think practicing nurses need to reassess behavior towards our colleagues. We each are responsible for ourselves. If we can’t act compassionately to ourselves and colleagues, how can we be compassionate to our patients? And what about the role of nursing administrators in enforcing policies against discrimination, harassment, and lateral violence within staffs and units?
Should punitive disciplinary actions be taken against those nurses participating in lateral nurse harassment or violence? Should they be allowed to continue working as nurses? What are your thoughts?
The Joint Commission Sentinal Event Alert
Behaviors That Undermine a Culture of Safety
September 3, 2008 in Beka | Permalink
Comments
I have been nursing over 30 years and canot belive the way things have changed,there was a time when nurses would defend the person who was geting bullied.
Recently it has been myself who has been on the receving end of medics who did not like the fact i spoke out about an incerdent,i whent to the manegers only to receve no suport.I was bullied so much i had a breakdown and was off sick for 8 monthes.The union dident help in anyway, i am back at work only due to the fact that i wont let the bullies win and i car about the patients.
Posted by: jo | Sep 28, 2009 7:42:53 PM
I am a male LPN. Only four years now. With nearly 6 jobs behind me over that time. First one --another LPN coughed in my face and told me I needed to be ill like the rest of the staff. It only got worse. When I filed a harassment complaint to my boss- the real company harassment began. I have continued to experience this at every job. The latest the CNA's have filed another complaint about me asking them to work at night I ask them to perform their rounds. An RN confronted me blamed me for orders that were missed by two other nurse's and myself (I came in for 4 hours to help out) only after I had been told the orders were being pulled. So I thought they were, I did not double check. I use to believe we were helping people. We are not. We dispense medicine and take shit from everyone. I am sick of this field and will NEVER recommend to anyone to go into it. Good luck with changing attitudes and harassment in America.I have been in the medical field since 1995 I started as a caregiver for hospice. Never again I gladly give this up.
Posted by: Derrick | Aug 27, 2009 1:42:50 AM
Up until about three days ago I did little investigating, regarding bullying, although I have pretty much experienced it most of my 30+ year nursing career. There are several states that are currently involved in enacting bills to alleviate the issue. For NY state residents, the website is www.nyhwa.org. All who have suffered, under the hand of an 8th grade mentality, will find the information very interesting.
I used the JCAHO mandate, regarding intimidation, when talking with my supervisor the other day, as a tool in getting her to listen to my complaint about a nursing assistant.
Posted by: Marilyn | Aug 6, 2009 10:45:23 PM
In addition to JCAHO taking action against bullying, I would also like for them to specify what they consider to be "bullying" Does it include being bullied while giving report to the next shift? When I need to know something important about a patient, I don't ask another nurse, I go look it up in the chart because it's more reliable, I mean you wouldn't ask another nurse which IV fluids are compatible because you would look it up, right?....but I don't know, maybe it's just me.
Posted by: Brandy Reeves | Jul 3, 2009 1:37:55 PM
Lateral violence is a growing problem in healthcare and I'm glad hospitals are being expected to address inappropriate behavior. I still shudder when I recall being bullyed by an experienced nurse just a few months into my first job. I wasn't prepared to deal with her behavior. Now there are programs that can help nurses develop postive strategies for responding to disruptive behavior. I just signed up to attend a workshop being held in June by the Center for American Nurses. (www.CenterforAmericanNurses.org) I am hopeful we can eliminate nurse bullying and other disruptive behaviors.
Posted by: Virginia | May 1, 2009 4:04:20 PM
I have just had to leave a program in my final semester because I dared to file a formal complaint against an instructor who was both physically and verbally abusive towards me. All I wanted was to be shifted to another clinical with a different instructor. Instead, basically, although I was a dean's list student, I was told that my only options were to withdraw my complaint and go back for more of the same from the same instructor, or to leave the program. I am still dumbfounded. I followed the correct proceedure for filing a complaint to the letter in the student handbook, and this is what I got.
Posted by: jayn | Apr 19, 2009 4:53:06 PM
I was a new grad three years ago, received acceptance into a specialty program, and unwittingly accepted. Since then these specialty nurses and my regulatory body have been harassing me. Thousands of dollars spent as bitter old nurses lied about me to keep me out of their precious "specialty area". They didn't care if it cost me a career. Nor did my regulatory body. They are still playing games and bullying me, and they are protected from any legislation. I am embarassed for the profession. As an adult I changed careers to help seniors, now I need to know how to get away from constant bulling and harassment.
Posted by: Marie | Mar 30, 2009 9:50:34 PM
Looking back on my twenty-plus years in nursing, I would say JCAHO cannot address lateral violence in nursing soon enough. I have been forced to quit my hospice position because of lateral violence so prevasive in my former workplace, that the management level of nursing seems to initiate and encourage it. I was not the first RN to quit with this organization due to personal harrasment by a supervisor, nor will I be the last, but the supervisor remains in her position despite a group of nurses and social workers collectively complaining about the negative behaviors of the particular supervisor. I was singled out and suffered numerous false accusations. Rather than fight, I quit my position because fighting was taking away the good energies I wanted to be able to bring to my patient's homes and bedsides.
JCAHO must bring management in healthcare settings into some strict standard of compliance. Nursing staffing all over the country is suffering severely due this unchecked sickness in our profession.
Posted by: baraco1 | Mar 15, 2009 4:48:44 PM
I have been a nurse for more than 30 years. I am so grateful that JCAHO has stepped in on this issue. As a retired Army Nurse, I assure you that the nurse-nurse bullying is far worst in the Army. In my many years in the Army, I can honestly say that Doctors who harass RNs are few and far between. While I miss the low level of the latter type of bullying, the former was very painful and unhealthy.
In the Active Army and the Army Reserves, the bullying I experienced (and watched others experience) was usually from superiors, often times racially motivated, envy motivated, or just because they were mean spirited AND it was acceptable.
Unfortunately, excellent, caring nurses took off their rank and went home, some suffered mental and physical health consequences. Some turned to alcohol etc.
In the civilian sector, some nurses move from job to job because they feel helpless. Bullying from both Doctors and other nurses is pervasive! If a nurse speaks up about harrassment/bullying they are labeled trouble makers and suffer the consequence of worst treatment or getting terminated. In fact in many hospitals, nurses are fired because a physician does not "like" them.
Frankly, I am embarrassed that nursing is this way. The only way this is going to change is to legislate standards and have whistleblower protection.
Keep in mind that the nurse that comes in your room or your loved one's room could be stressed, depressed and possibly angry about the way they are being treated. This could easily result in maltreatment, omission, errors, apathy...and the list goes on.
I pray I live to see this issue improve.
Posted by: Retired Army Nurse | Feb 28, 2009 1:02:00 AM
I have been a nurse for more than 30 years. I am so grateful that JCAHO has stepped in on this issue. As a retired Army Nurse, I assure you that the nurse-nurse bullying is far worst in the Army. In my many years in the Army, I can honestly say that Doctors who harass RNs are few and far between. While I miss the low level of the latter type of bullying, the former was very painful and unhealthy.
In the Active Army and the Army Reserves, the bullying I experienced (and watched others experience) was usually from superiors, often times racially motivated, envy motivated, or just because they were mean spirited AND it was acceptable.
Unfortunately, excellent, caring nurses took off their rank and went home, some suffered mental and physical health consequences. Some turned to alcohol etc.
In the civilian sector, some nurses move from job to job because they feel helpless. Bullying from both Doctors and other nurses is pervasive! If a nurse speaks up about harrassment/bullying they are labeled trouble makers and suffer the consequence of worst treatment or getting terminated. In fact in many hospitals, nurses are fired because a physician does not "like" them.
Frankly, I am embarrassed that nursing is this way. The only way this is going to change is to legislate standards and have whistleblower protection.
Keep in mind that the nurse that comes in your room or your loved one's room could be stressed, depressed and possibly angry about the way they are being treated. This could easily result in maltreatment, omission, errors, apathy...and the list goes on.
I pray I live to see this issue improve.
Posted by: Retired Army Nurse | Feb 28, 2009 1:01:59 AM
I have been a nurse since 1968, having graduated from a Bachelor's program in which I was severely bullied by an instructor during my sophomore year. She was cruel and intimidating. She told me I wasn't cut out to be a nurse! Since that time, with two exceptions, I can honestly say that in EVERY nursing job I've had since I graduated, I HAVE BEEN BULLIED. I could describe numerous incidents that are burned in my memory and still cause me to shudder and doubt my abilities.The worst experiences were in acute care, where CNA's and other RN's made my life miserable. They were much worse than the MD's. Sadly, I just don't want to ever work in acute care ~ this is the primary reason why.
Posted by: Becky | Feb 3, 2009 12:01:42 PM
I am distressed by the bullying by our manager on my floor in the hospital. She writes people up constantly; she is verbally aggressive and harrasses particular employees. The worst part is that since she came, no one in upper management beleives us, and think we are resisting following the rules. Additionally, she denies and twists the abusive things she says, and HR and others will do nothing. Where do I go from here. I am so distressed I am quitting a job I loved.
Posted by: leslie | Dec 16, 2008 3:42:16 AM
I strongly believe that all of casual nurses or new nurses who suffer silently the bullying must end with a professionnal fight.
I will try to take to the higher level and make sure that those nurses who try to bully us must be out the door and not us.
I will post all the steps necessary to win the case and to ease our victim pain.
Posted by: Nguyen | Nov 25, 2008 9:56:04 AM
I would like to know what if the "Bullying" is coming from the CEO of the Hospital? Basically our Dept. was told that now that we answer to her that things will go the way that she says or we can leave. Even though the majority of the staff have more experience in our field than she does and she won't listen to suggestions. We are told that we are salary and we will work till the work is done, prioritizing isn't the logical thing to do. We are on the road all the time working with Drs., DCP's, Community ECF's. Yet we can't be late for a mtg. we will get a mark against us. Isn't there enough stress in this world that when we go to work, we can't just take a deep breath and say let's get this done together and treat each other the way that we, ourselves, want to be treated. Why do people have to"Bully" anybody?
I too Love my job, or at least I did! For the first 4-5 yrs I use to tell my boss every week I Love my job. Now 9yrs into it I have a job, that's it. People should love their jobs. Employers should make it their responsibilty to keep their employees happy {within reason of course}. One of my last statements to my clients before I leave is always, "Is there anything else I can help you with today". Wow!! What a concept!! Can I help you!!! If everyone would just stop to think why did we go into the medical field to begin with, I know I did because I wanted to help people. Than maybe we could take that deep breath and think before you bully anyone. That's just plan ole unprofessional and rude!
As for the Nurses that do beside nursing I commend you!! In the 30+ yrs that I have been a Nurse I have seen drastic changes in the medical field and I don't think I would ever go back to that arena. As for being bullied on the floors, you folks have enough bullying from the patients and there families that if a Dr or a fellow employee is out of line Administration should support you and handle it. And I think that if the Joint Commision has to set guidelines for this then so be it. No one should have to feel threatened or bullied at work, that's your lifeline.
Posted by: famc | Oct 26, 2008 11:21:55 PM
i'm a new grad and was on the floor 2 days when they wanted me to take 2 patients ... on my own. well, during the first two days my preceptor wasn't precepting and i mentioned to her i wanted more of a team approach of teaching than me doing things on my own while she was in other rooms doing things on her own. so this third day i said i can't believe this is happening. no one wanted to make changes and said wait til monday to talk to the dept mgr (today was sat. and i would have had to work sat and sun / 12 hours on my own). i couldn't allow this to happen. i said I QUIT. while in the locker room changing, overnight nurses that were leaving asked me why and i laid it out, fact by fact about orientation. they said it sometimes goes that way. monday i heard from my old boss that they weren't going to file with jcaho about my disruptive behavior. i said thank you.
why was i being threatened now?
i already quit and i was the one being put in a unsafe situation to begin with. what about patient care and safety and my license?
Posted by: melanie | Oct 8, 2008 1:15:20 AM
I gave this some thought. Actually, thoughts just came to me today while working out. I am a semi retired nurse. I am 62, I saw changes coming with attitudes, like a two year degree vs. a four degree. Rather than learn from older nurses, it is an attitude of I can do it or I am better at it. I find today young nurses do not have bed side manner. Perhaps it is the insurance companies, physicians, etc. and medicine has advanced significantly, more mechanical than bedside.
I did for 18 years visiting nurse, concentration on some long term who lived either alone or with a family member, but, heavy in hospice.
When, I did return to a nursing home or hospital, I found that the younger personnel do not respect age, nor experience. They know it all, they are the time out generation, full of image boosting talk while growing up, as opposed to my generation, we developed slowly and respected what our elders said, or pondered
it.
Sandi
Massachusetts
Posted by: sandi_ruscetta@yahoo.com | Oct 1, 2008 5:48:36 PM
Is there a support group anywhere which supports the girls who may have something to help each other to get by.
Posted by: L:Isa Kehrt | Sep 27, 2008 7:46:45 PM
Is there a support group anywhere which supports the girls who may have something to help each other to get by.
Posted by: L:Isa Kehrt | Sep 27, 2008 7:46:43 PM
Every hospital and care setting I have worked in two states has had the behaviors discussed in this blog. I have seen it from a CNA and RN prespective in Med Surg, ED, and now home Health. I have seen managers do it to whole staffs and I have seen nurses picked out as scapegoats for a shift crew. I have seen the silent treatment, the horrible demented max assist overload, the failure to volunteer information, always taking last lunch. Any kind of b**chy meanness possible amongst alleged civilized intelligent people. What gets me is this, If nurses are so blind to thier own negative crap how can they spot when a patient is having a problem?
The fact that the problem is universal across settings and goes up and down ward on the power scale shows the severity of the problem. Having the feds involved does draw attention to the problem but it does not resolve issues. How long has the government been studying nursing staff shortages? There is a clear solution to poor staffing but it has it been fixed in the 20 yrs that the solution has been known. Why would horizonital violence be any different? It has to be acknowledged that the violence is caused by people feeling powerless and out of control and attempting to protect a sense of self even if it is dangerous, unprofessional or wretched inhumane to a fellow caregiving nurse. You can't assume abuser will "mistreat" patient's because at a sub conscious level the insecure nurse knows she is dominant, thus not threatened, by the dependent patient.
Posted by: sdion | Sep 27, 2008 1:29:56 AM
Yes, Virginia, nurses really do eat their young(and many others)
Posted by: BC | Sep 25, 2008 3:09:57 PM
It has been really interesting to see where people stand on this issue. On one hand, I agree with people who say that we are adults and professionals and ideally we ought to be able to work together. However, I am personally thrilled to see this become a Joint Commission issue because in the environment in which I work, some of the very people who should be helping to manage and eliminate the bullying are those who are the most guilty of bullying. Once something becomes a Joint commission issue, management has a much harder time ignoring it, and staff nurses have a leg to stand on when we try to bring attention to it.
Posted by: Jo Taylor | Sep 23, 2008 10:22:33 AM
What do you do if management IS the problem? In a home care agency with no human resources office for hundreds of miles, what do you do if a minor disagreement over hospitalizing a patient is turned into a major episode by inexperienced power-hungry managers. Getting an attorney and filing a grievance (which goes right back to the managers involved in the episode and, of course, is disallowed)just gets you suspended! Support of fellow nurses, patient accolades, long-term reliability, commitment, and competence mean absolutely nothing when "Peter-principle" managers decide to flex their muscles. Bullying in the workplace in not just lateral... Nurses should be allowed to "question authority" when it is necessary to provide proper patient care without fear of being "written up". Managers need to be properly trained and there needs to be some recourse for nurses bullied by management!
Tina
Posted by: Tina | Sep 21, 2008 9:11:33 AM
I agree with the commment made by Janet Nelson. What about the bullying behaviors of physicians made towards nurses? I am just a student nurse but I have heard several cases regarding these types of situation. Bullying behaviors should not be tolerated at all, whether it is between 2 nurses or among healthcare providers. It is embarrassing to have the Joint Commision to step in and "fix" something that we, as healthcare providers, can prevent on our own.
Posted by: Thao Nguyen | Sep 19, 2008 12:53:14 PM
I agree with the commment made by Janet Nelson. What about the bullying behaviors of physicians made towards nurses? I am just a student nurse but I have heard several cases regarding these types of situation. Bullying behaviors should not be tolerated at all, whether it is between 2 nurses or among healthcare providers. It is embarrassing to have the Joint Commision to step in and "fix" something that we, as healthcare providers, can prevent on our own.
Posted by: | Sep 19, 2008 12:52:37 PM
I dont think that the Joint Commission needs to step into the hospital and set of rules and guidelines for harassment and bullying. These behaviors happens in all walks of life and the problem should be address and resolved by the managers. If nurses feel bullied or harassed, get a lawyer. We are all adults in the workplace and know how to conduct ourselves appropriately. It is embarassing to know that nurses cannot get along and that these problems even exists. What is sad is the problem is so bad that Joint Commission might need to step in. Nurses are at the hospital for the patients and not there to exhibit power over collegues. If nurses feel threatened in any way, the workplace should provide services to resolve this issue and if it still does not stop the problem, then pursue legal actions
Posted by: Sophanny Ouk | Sep 19, 2008 10:59:49 AM
