Bullying in Nursing – Why The Hazing is Getting Worse

I’ll bet you’ve heard the statement, “Nurses eat their young.” Sadly, there is truth to this statement – figuratively, at least. This culture of hazing and bullying in nursing has been an on-going issue for at least thirty years or so. But where does bullying in nursing come from?  

Most of the time, there is intent to see if the new person is “worthy” of being a nurse or part of the team. Terms like bullying, hazing, intimidation, and even torture surely don’t seem like words that would be used in a field that exists to care for others. Sadly, though, bullying in nursing is common practice among senior nurses and new graduate nurses, and much worse among nursing instructors and nursing students. But why does it continue? 

Bullying in nursing continues because it gets overlooked. There exists a mindset of “If you can’t take it, there’s someone else who will gladly take your seat,” but this mindset is wrong. This has gone on for far too long.  

We hear of stories of hazing in colleges; it gets attention, is addressed, and is corrected. We know that hazing in colleges is on-going and it might not ever be fully eradicated, but there is a strong downward trend that shows that progress is being made. 

On the contrary, bullying in nursing seems to have gotten worse over the years. This is likely due to the highly competitive nature of the nursing field. I experienced this first-hand when I began my nursing career and it helped shape my decision to pursue education in nursing. I want to play a role in ending bullying in nursing and changing the culture that has allowed it to happen for so long. 

The mentality that students must go through a “rite of passage” is toxic and damaging. These students have successfully made it into their nursing program – they’ve proven themselves enough. There is no need for bullying, harassment, nor intimidation. Nursing instructors should be encouraging, helpful, and empowering to end the pattern of intimidation and bullying in nursing.  

The erasure of bullying in nursing will improve the productivity and mental health of nurses, which will directly impact the patients receiving care. The Joint Commission has issued a prior sentinel event alert on this topic, yet despite whatever interventions have taken place, the bullying and harassment continues.  

Nurses have completed countless trainings on workplace violence in the past 10 years. Although well intended, these modules fall short. In order to address all the problems that exist today, these trainings should include the non-physical violence between senior nurses and new graduates as well as between nursing instructors and students. This non-physical violence includes overt and covert, nonverbal and verbal aggressions. This may take many forms:  

• Withholding information 
• Gossip 
• Setting people up for failure 
• Alienation 
• Unfair distribution of work 
• Unfair distribution of break time 
• Not providing proper instruction 

No matter how seemingly inconsequential, this behavior is workplace violence, and should not be tolerated. This toxic behavior is adopted by many senior nurses without fear of retaliation and needs to be made obsolete. 

True leaders lead with inspiration, not intimidation; they are willing to do anything that they expect their team to do, and they listen to their team.  

They say, “follow me” while charging ahead in the front, not by striking a whip from behind. 

Our role as senior nurses and instructors is to teach, educate, and nurture. We must lead by example. One day that young nurse will be in our same situation, do you want to be the reason that bullying in nursing perpetuates? Or do you want to be the reason that it ends?

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