Once people graduate from school and enter the workforce, bullying should no longer be a problem. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Some adults who should know better continue to engage in bullying behaviors at work. It is never pleasant to be the targeting of bullying, no matter how old you are. However, you might not have considered the harmful ramifications of workplace bullying if you are a patient in a Minnesota hospital.
Workplace bullying is common in the healthcare industry, according to the Journal of Emergency Medical Services. You may find it surprising and disheartening to learn that doctors, senior nurses and other staff members at medical facilities make it a part of their job to intimidate, threaten and undermine the work of other employees. Many employees at hospitals and doctors’ offices are subjected to being shouted at, humiliated, taunted, ostracized and demeaned.
While you may feel bad for people who are being bullied at work, you may wonder how this can affect you as a patient. Employees who are consistently attacked – emotionally, verbally and sometimes physically – can end up being under so much stress at work that they make mistakes. For example, a nurse who is constantly criticized and intimidated by her superior could accidentally give you the wrong medication or forget to make an important note on your chart. Unhappy members of the medical staff may also treat their patients with less kindness or attention than those who have greater job satisfaction.
It is unfortunate that so many professionals in healthcare are subjected to bullying behaviors. However, you may wish to seek compensation if bullying resulted in substandard care. This information is not meant to replace the advice of a lawyer.
