NR 500 Week 7 Discussion Topic
Reflect on an experience in which you were directly involved or witnessed incivility in the workplace. Provide a brief
... [Show More] synopsis of the situation. How did this make you feel? How did you respond? What were the consequences of this situation? Provide an example of how this negatively affected the work environment and outcomes. How could the situation have been prevented? Discuss strategies that would support a healthy work environment.
Nurses eat their young, is a statement that has been tossed around for many years in the nursing world. Bullying within healthcare continues to be prevalent as nurses are becoming increasing demeaning in how they treat and interact with their fellow nursing colleagues or new graduate nurses. McNamara (2012) defines incivility as the act of being discourteous or acting in a rude or disruptive manner towards another individual. As part of making sure the facility maintains a culture of safety within the workplace, nurses must make others aware that these behaviors are taking place, thus developing a strategic plan for which will create a more conducive work environment at all levels within the facility.
Synopsis of Situation
I can recall at time while working in the Emergency Room (ER) I witnessed a preceptor bully her new orientee. I was documenting on my patients when I could hear the preceptor yelling at the orientee that she was taking too long to call report for the patient due to transfer. The orientee, stated to her preceptor that she was running behind due to an issue with one of their patients and that situation took priority over giving report at that time. The preceptor began scolding her for not informing her as to the status of the other patients they were responsible at that particular time. The orientee attempted several times to explain the situation to the preceptor but she was not willing to hear what she was had to say. The orientee just walked away and began taking care of her assigned patients. I later asked her was she okay, and she stated “She does not know how long she can deal with the way she talks to me. I feel as though I am doing nothing right”. I reminded her she needs to make management aware during their 1:1 meetings because if they are not made aware her behavior will continue. Needless to say, the orientee never reported the preceptor because of fear, but she continues to work in the ER still today.
As I sat there listening to the way she spoke to this young lady, I became upset due to the level of rudeness in her tone of voice. . I thought about interjecting at the time; however I chose not to at that time as it seemed it might escalate into a more hostile situation. My response to the situation was for me to be an ear for the young lady to vent about how she felt at that time. I felt allowing her to say how she felt without the feeling of retaliation would give her the energy she needed to continue her work. I reassured her that she did the right thing by responding to the issue of priority. As a preceptor you are there to teach and be a resource for the orientee you agreed to train during that time period. There were no consequences as a result of the nurses’ behavior due to the lack of reporting. I no longer work in that ER, however the preceptor continues to work there displaying the same bullying behaviors. As a result of this nurses
behavior the orientee became distracted and questioned her ability to be a nurse. Secondly, due to the orientee’s lack of focus patient care was delayed until the nurse was able to regain her focus. This situation could have been prevented by the preceptor assisting the orientee during her time of need. Also, the facility should have a zero tolerance policy towards bullying behaviors. As nurses it is our responsibility to raise awareness for ourselves and for our colleagues when he or she is displaying bullying behaviors, thus not saying anything gives nurses creating the hostile work environment a feeling of power.
Strategies to Support Healthy Environment
Stanton (2015) sheds light on change beginning after nurses collectively recognizing the realities behind lateral violence in the work place and developing policies to decrease the possibility of it continuing within the workplace. Some of the strategies that could be implemented to decrease lateral violence is the development of a code of conduct defining acceptable and unacceptable behaviors with the level of reprimand for the unacceptable behaviors. Educational programs can be utilized as a visual means to give a more definitive description to what lateral violence is and how to avoid it within the workplace. It is the job of everyone within the healthcare facility to create and maintain a culture of safety.
Conclusion
Lateral violence in the workplace of any kind should not be tolerated; therefore it is imperative that nurses speak up when these behaviors are witnessed. Bullying creates a hostile work environment for which can delay patient care; thus creating an environment in which some may feel inferior towards other or they resign. As a master’s prepared nurse promoting positive change, it is our duty to create an environment of safety.
References
McNamara, S. A. (2012). Incivility in nursing: Unsafe nurse, unsafe patients. AORN Journal, 95(4), 535–540. doi:10.1016/j.aorn.2012.01.020
Stanton, C. (2015). Action needed to stop lateral violence in the perioperative setting. AORN Journal, 101(5), 7–9. doi:10.1016/S0001-2092(15)00320-8
NR 500 Week 8 Discussion Topic: What Did You Learn
The AACN essentials (2011) developed to assist nurses who are pursuing master level education to be able to lead and perform in the complex healthcare system in the direct or indirect patient care role. Many academic institutions collaborate with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing to implement the new concepts of education to prepare the master level nurses to be the best healthcare leaders of tomorrow (Hahn, 2010). Thus, the nine essentials of master’s education in nursing and the NR500 course outcomes has become the measure for any future projects I will work on or healthcare challenges I will encounter. In my specialty track,
executive, I will implement evidence based practice research, utilize quality improvement and safety data, assess any new strategies created to promote productivity, apply patient centered models to increase quality patient outcomes, and collaborate with other disciplines to achieve optimal healthcare delivery system.
AACN Essentials. (2011). Retrieved August 21, 2017, from http://www.aacnnursing.org/Education-Resources/AACN-Essentials
Hahn, J. A. (2010). Practicum Projects of Value: A Successful Strategic Partnership Between Nurse Executives and Master’s Level Academia. Nursing Economics, 28(3), 143-148. Retrieved August 22, 2017. [Show Less]