Bullies is the negative behaviour that would cause harm emotionally or physically to victims. The word bully original use as a term of endearment applied to either sex, then were address to a male friend. Bully word then been defined as a person who habitually seeks to harm or intimidate those whom they perceive as vulnerable. Nowadays bullies are not only happening in children in the young age but as with many professions, nursing also get the splashing of waves from it.
Bullying comes in many forms and major arising issues regarding bullying that happen for nurses include downgrading or belittlement the nursing profession, increased workload, shaming in public, being the object of a co-worker’s venting and verbally harassed by managers or administrator. Apart from that eye rolling, disrespect, gossip or general unfriendliness will put a nurses in crisis situation as a stress response.
Besides that, the quality of care from the nurses also reflects by how the nurses act. The controversy of bullies issues causes various effect with the nursing practise in Malaysia and various of ways were discussed in this assignment.
Bullying can happen to target groups as well as individuals. For example, one unit vented on another unit or nurses on a unit tormented new hires or new graduates. They believed that they are superior and degrade them. According to Broome and Williams-Evans (2011) the action of bullying can be a contributing factor to the psychological and physiological change. This change will not only be effecting a person harmed by bullying but also giving the negative influence on organisation and the welfare of the patient in care. Nurses who work in a culture of bullying are likely to experience job dissatisfaction, spend more time on leave, have decreased productivity and lower morale (Cleary et al, 2010).
As stated by Sheridan-Leos (2008) in a clinical journal regarding understanding lateral violence in nursing that he described bullying as “lateral violence” or “an act of aggression that is perpetrated by one nurse against another”. He also stated that the bullying caused a downgrading effect to victims that generate the negative impact on nurses as individual. These impact have left the victims in torment and causing job dissatisfaction. This threatens nurses’ wellbeing (Cleary et al, 2010; Felblinger, 2008) and frequently results in them being unable to provide high-quality care (Huntington et al, 2011).
This finding is backed up by Hutchinson et al (2006b), who found that bullying destroyed the self-confidence and self-image of those targeted and forced them eventually to resign their position or to reluctantly accept what was happening around them. Li and Zhang (2010) found that workplace bullying led to burnout, job dissatisfaction and health risks. It was shown to reduce self-confidence and decreasing work productivity by a Canadian study (Mackintosh et al, 2010a). A later study by the same authors had similar results and also highlighted mental health consequences (Mackintosh et al, 2010b).
The obvious detrimental effects bullying has on nurses make it essential that early intervention takes place and that staff recognise what is happening and prevent further bullying (Schoonbeek and Henderson, 2011). In the study of bullying among nurses and its effects by Yildrim (2009) also found a negative impact from bullying were that leave a sufferer felt various psychological effect such as annoyance, exclusion, belittlement and isolation, deprived of resources. The attacks claimed the lives of sufferer and prevented from getting their own honour.
To sum out regarding how this issue affect the nursing practice in Malaysia from literature that were discuss above supporting the statement that this destructive behaviour has an impact on the workplace environment and nurses in general such as the situations are serious enough that they began to leave the profession and cause their morale suffers. When there is barrier for freedom of communication been set, it ultimately affects the outcomes and stops the flow of information which affecting the nurses care.
A number of steps can be taken to support a healthy workplace and thereby prevent bullying. The literature suggests several ways to tackle bullying within nursing including providing education, developing codes of acceptable conduct and introducing a zero tolerance policy (Broome and Williams-Evans, 2011). The leaders should emphasize and make them aware that bullying is not okay by empowering through policies and procedures. It has been noted that nurses with a personal system of resilience are better able to counteract bullying behaviour (Jackson et al, 2007). Those in higher ranks in the nursing profession should be aware of signs that could indicate a person is being bullied, such as anxiety and depression or expressing a wish to leave the profession (Quine, 2001).
Furthermore, to make them more resilient, excessive workloads and a lack of autonomy should be prevented. Whistleblowing is often seen as a negative act fuelled mainly by revenge and sedition; however, nurses should have the opportunity to raise concerns about patients’ care or organisational wrongdoing without fear of accusations (Jackson et al, 2010). It is important to consider confronting the causes of bullying as well as the actual acts (Mackintosh et al, 2010b).
Nurses who feel they are bullied should be encouraged to speak to colleagues and their superiors in the organisation rather than relying on friends and family; if these concerns are not dealt with sensitively, the victims may end up leaving the profession (Vessey et al, 2009). Whistleblowing should be encouraged rather than discouraged and victims of bullying must have opportunity to voice their feelings to their superiors. This could be made easier with the use of suggestion or complaint boxes.
Nurses at all levels should be aware they are expected to use empathy with their colleagues as part of an anti-bullying policy that everyone must be familiar with. The workplace should be seen as a place not only of physical safety but one without the emotional stress caused by bullying; every member of the team should be treated with courtesy and respect. Rather than walkaway or keep it to self-regarding this crisis, the victims or co-worker should able to identify and confront these harmful behaviours to stop that malicious pattern.
Self-awareness is important to prevent the crisis by observing how the situation provoking an emotional response. Organizations that have supporting cultures that follow the code of ethics and practice might have lower incidence of perceived bullying and staff would feel fewer disappointment and valued.
Allegations of bullying should always be investigated and the organisation itself should take responsibility. To assist in making this a reality, policies must be in place to deal with investigations into bullying and “zero tolerance” of such behaviour when it has been proven to exist. Anyone making a complaint should feel confident their concerns will be escalated as necessary and that solutions will be found. This means identifying and confronting the culprits of bullying and, after a fair hearing, disciplining them, or even dismissing them if this is warranted. Victims and perpetrators should both be offered counselling.
In conclusion, there are significant impact from the issues of bullying which affecting the psychological or behavioural responses of the nurses. The quality of care may decrease and it would leave negative image for the nurses. A nurse is also a human and there is time mistake happen and emotional disturbance may occur.
Analysing why or how this issues started and execute prevention comprehensively is a must to reduce the adverse effect that they may encounter. Furthermore, the growth in the nursing profession is reflected by the quality of care that were portrayed by the nurses. Thus, it is important to provide healthy work environment and help the affected nurses to seek help that they needed.