Nurse Bullying: How to Deal With a Nitpicky Nurse!

Did you ever work with a nurse who you dreaded giving report to? Why? Because you KNEW she would nitpick you to death.

In this episode of Coffee & Conversations about nurse bullying, I’ll share a few simple strategies STOP THE NITPICKING.

As an international speaker and consultant Dr. Renee Thompson tackles the professional challenges facing healthcare leaders today. With 26 years as a clinical nurse, nurse educator, and nurse executive, Dr. Thompson is a thought leader on creating a healthy workforce by eradicating workplace bullying. She hosts an award winning blog and is the author of several popular books on bullying and professional development.

[faynee]

I wish I would have seen this video a few months ago. I just left a job because of the nitpicking morning nurses we had to give report to, making us night nurses highly stressed and miserable. I was the last of the 3 of us to leave last month. So because of this one or 2 nurses, they lost 2/3 of their night shift. Serves them right because these morning nurses were the darlings of management. Now I thank them. I now am out of inpatient nursing for good. I landed a job in public health working M-F days, no holidays or weekends. Just 2 of us nurses and the doctors are wonderful. No bullying here :)

[AbbyS.Pumpkins]

Thank you for sharing your insights. You are so right. I’ve been a nurse for 15 years at the same hospital. In 2006, I worked with some of the most godawful women (nurses) I’ve ever met. Actually...there was only 1 godawful woman, but she was the alpha-female, so she collected a group of cowards who bullied alongside her. It was easier for them to befriend her than it was to be on her bad-side. She criticized EVERYTHING I said or did and it got worse because she could sense the fear and self-doubt she put in my head. She got fired for a HIPAA violation. Hello KARMA, goodbye she-devil! Once she left, the atmosphere became so much less tense. One thing I wish I would’ve done sooner is answering her ridiculous questions with a careless, “I don’t know.” I’ve learned that “I don’t know” is an acceptable answer. And it works even better when you say it with apathy. That way, they can tell you’re not rattled by their bullying, nor will you lose sleep over it. Now I make it my goal to stick up for new nurses because I know how it feels. To new nurses...it gets better. Hang in there.

[NeilGalve]

Can you make a video on how to correct your coworker in a professional way without being arrogant? Please.

[thandiswanicole]

Thank you, I thought it was my own incompetence for months, that I did not know enough about anything

[melaniebourke]

I find that nursing assistants that believe they are RNs without the degrees nit pick the worst in my work place, they go to the CEO and report everything.

[dontyoualreadyknow]

Dealing with a very toxic nurse who is a new nurse that knows everything. I’m an experienced nurse and so close to becoming very unprofessional 😡🤬😡🤬

[tinamartin]

I'm being nitpicked right now, but by my ex's new supply. I've learned that both my ex and his new supply are cluster b personality disordered individuals. Without them, I would've never truly understood narcissistic individuals on a deeper level. Nitpicking is way different than constructive criticism.

I emailed you a while back wanting to understand the thinking and senseless behaviors of a nurse I worked with, and another nurse at a university. I directly spoke to these individuals, but it didn't work. Instead, they flipped the script, spread a smear campaign, and triangulated while projecting their behaviors. Narcissistic individuals are very manipulative and very controlling individuals.