First Year RN: Handling Nurse Bullying
Recognize bullying, document, escalate, when to leave.
'Nurses eat their young' is a real phenomenon, not universal. Specific responses help.
Recognize
Repeated public criticism. Refusing to help. Sabotage. Ignoring you. Unfair assignments. Documenting issues that didn't happen.
Document
Date, time, what happened, witnesses. Email yourself for time-stamp.
Escalate
Charge → manager → HR. Many hospitals have specific bullying policies post-Magnet.
When to leave
If escalation fails or hostile environment continues. Better to switch units or hospitals than tolerate ongoing.
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