Monday, March 14, 2011

Bullying in the Workplace?


Where will it end? So much recently has been made of bullying. We see bills being pushed through the US Senate to eliminate bullying in schools by the likes of Kirsten Gillibrand and Al Franken. I am so thankful that my esteemed senator can take time out of her busy schedule to tackle such a pressing issue, but she has missed one of the greatest examples of institutional bullying today. Not only is it affecting millions in the work place, but it also costs the government untold financial losses through decreased productivity, workplace dissatisfaction, poor patient care and "cat fights."

Thank goodness Sarah Beth Cowherd (great name, don't you think) is here to draw our collective attention to bullying among nurses. "They eat their own", so I hear and it must stop. In her essay "Bullying among nurses need to stop", nurse Cowherd cites as evidence the nursing legend that younger nurses were made to sit on the floor during sign out. Of course this is rigorous evidenced based research that is documented only by old school nurses and their fading memories. I think I heard similar stories in my youth, only regarding the ills of having to trudge to school, barefoot, in the snow, up hill both ways.

This is nonsense and would expect the folks at KevinMD.com to be a little more requiring of their guest writers. Unfortunately, or not there are no studies to support the assertions of Nurse Cowherd, but she may yet be in luck as PPACA has set aside $1.1 millions dollars for comparative effectiveness research. Surely there are some senators and congressman who are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the next cause du jour with which to throw taxpayer money at.

In the mean time I will continue to write my notes as far away from the nursing station as possible and praise the incredible job and dedication to patient care that nurses give their patients everyday. This is not high school. You could actually consider standing up for yourself!
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