Duringlyour clinical placement did you witness any occasions where nurses were bullied or harassed by others? In your eportfolio this week
descri e a situtation where this occurred and what steps were taken to address it. What were the outcomes forthe person involved?
Aolence in the Workplace. The health care workplace is becoming increasinglyviolent. Nurses, being the front line of
health service provision, are often the target of hostility from others- these others can be other health professionals, as well as
patient/visitors.
Alcohol and substance abuse often triggerviolence in the workplace. Research studies by nurses are indicating that
hospital rage’ is increasing, especially in the emergency departments, and the most vulnerable staff are inexperienced nurses. Health
care facilities are now providing staff with resources and ski lsto better manage hostile situations.
Asuggestion would be to consider
very carefully a placement in the emergency department as a TPPP, and to apply for positions in ED when you are more experienced and
confident to dea with the more aberrant an violent behavioursthat are seen in the emergency departments.
Bullying
Bullying can be a
form of non-physical violence in the workplace. It has social and emotional elements. Bullying is expressed as antisocial behaviours such
as:
-lntimidation
-Threatening another person
-Stalking
-Cyber bullying
-Embarrassing others
-Verbal
abuse
-Professional isolation- excluding individuals from activities
-lncomplete information.
New graduate nurses
are particularly vulnerable to bullying and harassment in the workplace. You will need to be able to recognise bullies and bullying in the
workplace. Bullies usually operate on a one on one basis, so it can be difficult to provide evidence of bullying. \Actims of bullying often
develop physical and psychological symptomsthat can result in the individual requiring medical treatment. Agood rule ofthumb for
recognising bullying behaviour, especially if it is directed at you: ‘If you believe you are being bullied; you most probably
are’.
Strategies to deal with bullying:
-Recognise bullying behaviour forwhat it is, unacceptable behaviourfrom an inadequate person or persons.
-Do not accept that you are responsible for a bully’s antisocial behaviour.
-Refuse to be drawn into negative behaviours.
-Keep a written record (context, time, place, individuals involved) oftimes when anti-social behaviours occur.
-Report
bullying behaviours to senior management, or ifthis is not possible to the human resources department.
-Use the legislative and
administrative policy frameworks to protect yourself from bullying behaviours.
-In the most extreme cases, seek legal advice.
Harassment in the workplace
Harassment is closely aligned with bullying. Harassment may be based on gender, race, religion,
asqe and can be as insidious as bullying. The more overt forms of harassment are:
exual harassment- inappropriate touching
-lnappropriate comments
-‘Jokey’ emails that you may find offensive
-Smuttyjokes
-Liestold about you
-Being
‘told off’ in front of others
-Being insulted in front of others.
The more covert forms of harassment include:
-Having your
performance as a registered nurse continually criticised, couched in terms of being helpful.
-Always being rostered onto the unsocial
shifts.
-Always being allocated the most complex patients with no support.
-Being told you are on probation and that continuing
employment is contingent on favourable reports from other staff.
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