Nurse Bullying: Signs, Impact & How to Stop It

Nurse bullying—really? Yes, let’s talk about it, because that’s the first step to stopping it.

What is nurse bullying? Nurse bullying is a pattern of unwanted and harmful behaviors intended to humiliate, intimidate, or undermine a nurse. Often grounded in a power imbalance, nurse bullying can lead to psychological distress, low morale, and even risks to patient care.

The American Nurses Association defines it as “repeated, unwanted, harmful actions intended to humiliate, offend, and cause distress in the recipient.”

If this sounds appalling, it’s because it is. A nursing career comes with its own challenges and pressures. While many nurses find their profession exceptionally rewarding, bullying can really taint the nursing experience.

So, how do you halt it? Spreading awareness and knowing the signs of nurse bullying is a good start.

No nurse should ever be a victim of bullying, but it’s a situation many face. Read on for a few facts about bullying and how to speak up when you see it happening.

Different types of bullying

In “Our Own Worst Enemies: The Nurse Bullying Epidemic,” nurse bullying is described as “a systemic, pervasive problem that begins well before nursing school and continues throughout a nurse's career.” A bullying experience may have different impacts and consequences for individual nurses who are exposed to it.

Types of bullying nurses face could include the following:

Horizontal bullying encompasses nurse-on-nurse drama that is initiated between nurse colleagues. According to research, this type of bullying violence is very common in intensive care units.
Vertical violence is bullying between a nurse and their superior in hospitals or other medical settings. This type of nurse workplace bullying occurs in different hierarchical positions, e.g., between management and subordinates.
Cyberbullying occurs online between nurses and their colleagues or superiors; it may aggressively challenge personal and normative beliefs.
Covert bullying happens when nurses, management, or anyone on the nursing team displays passive-aggressive behavior. Examples may include a veteran nurse colleague giving the silent treatment to a “newbie” nurse.

Specific examples of nurse bullying in the workplace

Nurse bullying in a medical environment will look like what you may expect in any setting. For instance, eye rolling, gossiping, and belittling are all condescending ways a colleague or a superior can make a fellow nurse feel humiliated.

The list of examples of nurse-to-nurse bullying is extensive. Dealing with difficult patients presents its own list of challenges, but for now, we are focusing on toxic behavior between nurse coworkers.

Here are a few scenarios that help define bullying in the nursing profession:

Spreading a hurtful or derogatory rumor about a nurse to other colleagues
Constantly criticizing or belittling a nurse in front of their colleagues
Intentionally withholding vital patient information (such as during a hand-off) and setting another nurse up to fail
Not respecting a nurse’s boundaries when it comes to physical or verbal preferences
Inviting all other nurses to a social event or gathering and intentionally excluding one nurse from attending
Forming “hierarchical social groups” and gossiping about other nurses

Ouch, are we back in high school? Honestly, nurse bullying is no laughing matter. Nurse bullying and mental health don’t mix, and the impacts of harassing a nurse have grave consequences.

What are the effects of nurse bullying?

The impact of bullying in nursing will have serious repercussions for nurses, especially when it relates to their mental and physical health.

Here are some nurse bullying statistics:

Over half (60 percent) of nurse managers, directors, and executives report experiencing bullying in the workplace.
About a fourth (26 percent) considered the bullying “severe.”
According to one study, 60 percent of nurses leave their first jobs within the first six months due to the behavior of their coworkers.
Bullying between nurses is often considered a “normal” part of the initiation for novice nurses.

With these concerning statistics in mind, you may wonder, “What nurse bullying prevention tactics can be or are being used to stop this type of violence?”

Glad you asked. It’s time to speak up.

How to handle nurse bullying

Overcoming nurse bullying in the workplace is no easy feat, especially if you are the victim. Ignoring nurse bullying could lead to forming bad habits to cope with the mental angst that comes with it, such as self-medicating.

However, there are certain nurse bullying interventions that will help you navigate this situation in your personal life or learn how to prevent or address bullying that's happening to a colleague of yours.

Here’s how to report nurse bullying that could be affecting you or the morale in your workplace:

Educate yourself on your hospital’s or other medical workplace’s anti-bullying policies. These are most likely outlined in the HR handbook.
Write down the incident in a report. Make sure you include the time and details of the event. Addressing nurse bullying is harder once time has passed, so make sure you write down everything you can and report the event as quickly as possible after it occurs.
Speak with a manager after documenting the incident. They will assess how and if the situation will be escalated to a higher level of authority. See how managers can prevent nurse bullying below.
Seek out nurse bullying support groups to learn how to identify and cope with nurse bullying in the workplace. For example, Operation Happy Nurse is a nonprofit dedicated to helping nurses cope with the pressures that come with the profession.

You may also find that joining online community platforms with like-minded and professional nurses can help you cope with common stressors that come with a nursing job. Regardless of the method you choose, it’s important to speak up and ask for help when you need it.

How managers can prevent nurse bullying

Managers play a vital role in implementing no-bullying and no-harassment policies in the workplace. As voices of authority, they also need to be aware that bullying in the nursing field is a reality.

Therefore, managers working in a healthcare setting should be equipped with the knowledge and empathy to address bullying concerns when they are raised.

Some ways to do this are to create training programs, encourage nurse-to-nurse mentorships, and emphasize that you (as a manager) are a safe person to approach to handle a difficult conversation if bullying occurs.

Use your voice: It’s wise

If your gut instinct tells you that nurse bullying is happening to you or a colleague in your workplace, follow it. Whether you are a nursing student, veteran nurse, or manager, always speak up when you witness violence or harassment.

Nurses carry a heavy load taking care of patients, and bullying shouldn’t add to this weight. Take control of your work environment and make sure it feels safe and professional. You deserve it.

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