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Workplace Bullying of Nurses

http://www.usnewsuniversitydirectory.com/articles/bullying-a-rising-concern-for-new-nurses_14282.aspx#.VAlFO1Plx3t

Bullying a Rising Concern for New Nurses

 


 

By Rebecca Strong
Posted September 03, 2014 02:00 PM

Bullying is a rising concern for new nurses.
Bullying is a rising concern for new nurses.
For new nurses, a supportive, low-stress work environment is absolutely crucial to ensuring their success. Their first year of practice is a time for acquiring essential skills, building on their practical knowledge and boosting their confidence. Unfortunately, their vulnerability puts them at risk for bullying, an increasingly prevalent threat that could compromise those developmental opportunities.

Rising Worries

A new survey of over 2,000 nursing school graduates from the class of 2014 from Kaplan Test Prep revealed that this issue is breeding fear. A staggering 48% of participants admitted they are concerned about being the victims of workplace bullying or working in a hostile environment, according to the press release. This finding should come as no surprise considering 39% of those who answered the survey knew nurses who had experienced these conditions.

Another study in American Nurse Today revealed that roughly 60% of nurses left their first job in just six months due to bullying or a hostile work environment. Medical providers then suffer the consequences: Related research published in The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing showed that this can cost them from $22,000 to $64,4000 or more per turnover.

Susan Sanders, DNP, RN, NEA-BC and vice president of nursing, Kaplan Test Prep, commented on this “disturbing dynamic” in the press release.

“Changing cultural norms within the nursing profession will require efforts from all parties: from nursing graduates, in treating their colleagues with respect and raising awareness by reporting incidents; from nursing leaders, in leading by example to foster supportive behaviors and promote a healthy work environment; from health care institutions, in setting zero tolerance disciplinary policies and empowering staff to report on issues without fear of retaliation; and from academic institutions, in preparing students with conflict management skills to address situations as they arise,” Sanders said.

Bullying can have a significantly negative impact on not only the nurses themselves, but also the institutions in which they work. Victims’ feelings of isolation, incompetence and inferiority can often compromise their ability to provide optimal patient care. Not to mention, stress can lead to some detrimental problems, such as anxiety, depression and insomnia. As nurses’ morale and job satisfaction slowly declines in response to bullying, institutions have to deal with the harsh financial reality of higher absenteeism and turnover rates.

Addressing the Issue

So how can health care organizations end the abuse? American Nurse Today recommended that hospitals establish and aggressively communicate zero-tolerance policies for bullying, and ensure full support from upper administration. Meanwhile, a whopping 79% of nursing school graduates believe nursing schools should offer workshops and special training sessions on handling workplace bullying and hostile work environments, according to Kaplan’s survey.

Valerie Palarski, adjunct nursing faculty for Rasmussen College Online, explained in an interview on the school’s blog that she also believes medical schools need to take some responsibility for properly preparing nurses to dodge bullying. She explained that students are only set up for success if they have effective communication and coping skills that can allow them to remain composed in a high-stakes environment.

Kaplan is currently surveying nursing school and medical school administrators in hopes of gaining deeper insight into this issue, which will be revealed later this year.