workforce
workforce
Workplace bullying
Harassment and intimidation are pervasive in nursing. A new study seeks to learn why.
Peter Hartin interviewed by Dallas Bastian
Nurse-on-nurse bullying is a problem, and one research project aims to find out how nurses think it should be tackled.
Study lead Peter Hartin, from James Cook University, says:“ The idea that bullying is a problem in nursing probably shocks anyone not in healthcare, but unfortunately it feels all too familiar to anyone who is.
“ Research suggests workplace bullying is so culturally integrated into the environment that nursing students are socialised to these behaviours. Nursing students are typically eager and willing to learn new ways of practice and thinking, and bullying becomes just another learned activity.”
The Australian College of Nursing was pleased to hear the announcement of the study and said the research should be welcomed. Chief executive Kylie Ward said:“ Bullying must be prevented to help ensure the best possible outcomes for nurses, patients, care recipients and the community. No form of bullying or harassment is acceptable in any workplace, let alone in a demanding and time critical environment such as healthcare and where patients’ care is paramount.”
In April last year, ACN released a position paper, titled Bullying in the Workplace, condemning the occurrence of bullying in health and aged-care workplaces. Ward said:“ Bullying in the work place can and should be stopped. Nurses must support each other. Nurse leaders play a vital role in the prevention of bullying through the demonstration of a clear commitment to the elimination of workplace bullying and visibly supporting an open culture in which unacceptable behaviours are addressed immediately.”
Hartin says the impact of bullying can be profound, with many nurses ultimately leaving the profession.
“ I want to find out why bullying continues to flourish in the nursing profession in Australia and what we can learn from nurses themselves about ways to stop it,” he says.
Nursing Review sits down with Hartin to find out what is known about bullying in nursing and how the findings will be used to address the issue.
NR: What does research tell us at the moment about bullying in nursing? PH: Bullying in nursing is an international phenomenon. It has long been recognised that the nursing profession suffers from a culture of bullying. There is a significant amount of research on the incidence and prevalence of bullying in nursing which has greatly contributed to our understanding, yet bullying remains an issue.
It seems odd that a profession which is based upon compassion and empathy suffers from bullying, yet similar to trends in other professions, studies indicate that the nursing profession has not escaped the increasing presence of bullying.
Even with this increase, research suggests that the figure is most likely to be under-reported. With the reports we do have, what constitutes bullying is subjective.
What are some of the ways in which nurses are subjected to bullying in the workplace and where is it coming from? Bullying is devastating in any shape or form, and bullying in nursing can take on various forms, including verbal, physical, social or psychological. Bullying can be expressed in an overt way such as humiliation, exclusion or intimation, or can be more subtle such as unfair rostering, sighing or ignoring. The source can be patients, other health professionals, but more often it is other nurses. The impact can be profound, with many nurses ultimately leaving the profession.
Why might we be seeing some of this bullying taking place? While it is likely that the current pressures impacting the healthcare system contribute to the problem, bullying in the profession has been documented for over 30 years. In spite of the work that has been done on this topic, few studies have approached nurses directly and asked them what to do about it. I want to find out why bullying
22 | nursingreview. com. au