A Young Nurse Deals With Workplace Bullying

Hello Fellow Readers, I have only been a nurse for 5 years as an EN and I have never been bullied in my life till I started nursing. I was actually shocked and disgusted at the age of 18 at some of the nurses misconduct of behaviour towards patients and co-workers. I work hard and acknowledged from the start that I had little experience but I am eager to learn. This wasn't enough, it all started when I was rostered on point 8 shifts a fortnight in a small country hospital and some staff started ignoring me. Afterwards I learned they where only rostered on permanent 6 shifts a fortnight and been there for years. This wasn't my fault but they did a good job of making me feel like it was.

I even at one point had a unit manager that use to be my teacher and an older nurse told everyone in handover behind my back that I was an ass hole and not to tell her anything because she tells everything to the boss. I later got told this by a student and felt sad as I respected this nurse and looked up to her, due to all her years of knowledge. I even felt bad once because she was such a fast worker and I felt so slow starting out. So I did all her BGL's and she yelled at me and said "do you think I am stupid because I can't do BGL's, all you young nurses think the same". Looking back I realised she felt threatened as all theses young nurses were coming in medication-endorsed and she wasn't.

I then had this one RN tell me I work to fast and I took this on board but then realised I do everything safe I just have good time management. I asked her if I could do handover for our patients when I first started out and she just laughed and said no way. The same RN bullied all the new grads and made them all cry, she was a bitch!!! She then told me to get out of my patients room as I went to reassure my patient while she was inserting a cannula.The RN then yelled in a aggressive and physical manner "(my wrong name) whatever your name is get out" and repeated her self in this manner three times while pointing at me. As I tried to justify why I was there (like I should anyway). I then approached her at the nurses station and said by the way my name is ##### and you don't have the right to talk to me like that. I respect you and I don't care what you say I am a good nurse. She then looked up from the nurses station and said "in your opinion and you were so rude and rudely just walked in the patients room. I said no I didn't the curtains where wide open. I then run off down the hall way and started crying the poor student that was with me just stood there and two nurses that overheard reassured me and one nurse said don't worry I wondered what I did to her tonight. Before I stood up to her she bullied me all the time and made me feel inadequate.

I HOPE YOUNG NURSES reading this know it can always get better. I stood up to all theses bullies and they never bullied me again. I always approached them first if that didn't work I approached them in the handover room where over staff are. Nursing has taught me a lot of things and has made me stronger. My eyes where foggy at 18 but nursing made me open my eyes to the real world. I am less of a target now because I don't question every single task and have more confidence as a young adult. I am now studying my RN and hope to work in a bigger hospital, which from past experience seems less clicky and more professional. I hope to lead by example and set the bar high. =D