Nurse Bullying is NOT OK!

Nurse bullying is a problem that affects many nurses, and Travel Nurse bullying can be an intensified issue considering Travel Nurses are injected into a workplace that is otherwise fully formed culturally. This can make it easy to paint a Traveler as an outsider which provides favorable conditions for nurse bullying.

But, it doesn’t have to be that way! So, how to stop nurse bullying? Here are a few facts and tips on how to stop nurse bullying.

Facts on Nurse Bullying

• Frequency: According to the ANA, 18-31% of nurses have been bullied at work.
• Types of nurse bullying: Vertical, which involves a nurse being bullied by a manager or other superior, and horizontal, which involves a nurse being bullied by a peer colleague. Bullying can be aggressive and overt or it can be more “under the table” — regardless the type, negative effects are the same.
• It affects patient safety: In addition to a hostile job environment, nurse bullying can also harm patients. Putting nurses under additional pressure distracts and can cause errors on the job. The Joint Commission has said that “intimidating and disruptive behaviors can foster medical errors and [result in] preventable adverse outcomes.”
• It costs hospitals: Nurse bullying at its height can eventually lead to nurse turnover, including, in the case of Travel Nurses, cancelled contracts, which incurs costs that hospitals must absorb. According to a 2009 MedSurg Nursing article by John Murray, “bullying in the workplace can cost over $4 billion” on an annual basis.

How Travel Nurses Can Combat Nurse Bullying

• Be aware: So often a Traveler will just brush off bullying; chalk it up to being the new guy or gal. Be in touch with what’s really going on and remember that you deserve respect on the job.
• Document: Take notes — including dates, names, and times — on how you’re being bullied.
• React properly: The worst thing you can do is retaliate in a bullying fashion, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t defend yourself. It’s a tricky balance to strike, but just be communicative, professional, and honest. Speak up and say, “You are bullying me. Please stop.”
• Report: If a situation can’t be resolved on your own, you should formally report it to hospital administration and/or HR.
• If you see a colleague being bullied: Observe the situation and makes the same notes you would if it were you being bullied. Tell the colleague being bullied that you’ve noticed and are willing to provide any support necessary. Don’t be afraid to speak up against bullies. Like the saying goes, “If you see something, say something.”
• Be a part of the solution: At the end of the day, nurse bullying is a part of a hospital’s culture. While you might not be there long as a Traveler, do your best to be a good part of the culture and improve it through your own personal conduct, if nothing else!

These winter car tips for Travel Nurses will help you safely through the rest of the snowy season.

With so many areas of the U.S. being hit hard this year with snowstorms and artic temps — and even more polar problems bearing down this week — we thought it was a good time to share a little checklist of winter car tips for Travel Nurses.

Cold weather can exacerbate automobile issues, so it’s important to be extra careful in winter. Follow these tips to keep yourself safely moving on wintry roads.

Check the Air and Treads on Your Tires

According to AAA, you should check your air pressure monthly. Look to your manual for your proper pressure level, test it, and add air if necessary. While you’re at it, be sure to eyeball your treads. If they look worn out, you may need to visit the tire shop.

Check Your Battery

Extreme temps can wear down car batteries, which generally have a 3-5 year lifespan. You can get your battery tested at most any mechanic’s shop. Always travel with a pair of jumper cables, just in case! Some road-warriors even travel with car battery charger, which generally require an outlet.

Fill ‘er Up!

Always try to keep your tank as close to full as possible.

Find a Great Mechanic — Wherever You Are

Too bad your awesome mechanic from back home can’t just travel with you! Ask local friends, Travelers, or even consult an online forum like Healthcare Travelbook to find a good one on the road.

Always Travel with a Roadside Emergency Kit

You could include a flashlight (LED is best), blanket(s), non-perishable food, water, jumper cables, flares, a first-aid kit, fresh batteries, Fix-a-Flat (in addition to a spare), hand sanitizer, an emergency radio, hand-warmers, fire-starters, a knife and/or scissors, and some duct tape — which always seems to come in handy.

A few other quick tips:

• Keep up on your oil changes — Use the recommended oil and be sure to check the filter too!
• Check your antifreeze.
• Have a pro inspect your belts and hoses before any long drives.
• Make sure your wipers are in good condition and your washer fluid is full.

When in doubt, always feel free to visit a mechanic or full-service gas station with questions. You are better off safe than sorry when it comes to cold weather and driving!

Do you have any other tips to share with your fellow Travelers? Let us know in the comments.

Bruno Mars and Ellen join forces to prank an unsuspecting nurse via hidden camera.

As a nurse, you see plenty of strange things and people along the way. To put it diplomatically, a great variety of people can walk into your unit on any given day! Among the even weirder is the hidden camera prank patient scenario recently put on by Ellen DeGeneres and Bruno Mars.

An unsuspecting nurse named Debra thought she’d met a real weirdo when she showed up to treat Mars — or Ramon, as Ellen instructs him to call himself — in his dressing room for a sore throat.

The setup for the hidden camera prank has Mars wearing an earpiece with Ellen on the other end instructing him with to say oddball things to the nurse.

He says he’s having a pain in his throat and that he hasn’t swallowed since the Super Bowl. Ellen directs the singer through an awkward dialogue where he says it’s like he has a chip in his mouth that’s causing his sore throat:

“I had a chip during halftime. I had either Chex Mix or Dorito or Frito … Pringle — I was wanting a Pringle, it wasn’t a Pringle actually. They didn’t give me Pringles, I asked for Pringles but there wasn’t [sic] Pringles in my dressing room. Why do Pringles come in a tennis ball can?”

Nurse Debra patiently suggests that the canister choice is due to the shape of the chip.

Just after the 5-minute mark Ellen instructs him to cry at which point the nurse is very sweet in comforting him. And then, at 6:25, Mars reveals that it was all a prank and good sport that she is, Debra laughs — likely relieved that Mars isn’t the strange patient she thought him to be.

Have you ever been pranked on the job? If so, share your story in the comments, and check out video of the prank below.