Bullying in Healthcare, Research Paper Example

Introduction

Workplace bullying among health care employee is defined as the repetitive irrational actions of the employees which are focused toward specific employees or a collection of employees. The workplace bullying behaviors are intended to be actions of intimidation, degradationandhumiliation which undermine the capacity of the health care employees to perform their job related functions. Workplace bullying often incorporates the abuse of authority. The behaviors which are included in workplace bullying in the health care settings creates perceptions of defenseless and decreases the employeeefficiency in the health care setting.  Bullying is distinct from aggression. Aggression may be composed of one solitary incident; the activity of bullying by employees in the health care setting incorporatesrepetitiveattacks, which form a continuing model of behavior for the perpetrator and others in the health care workplace environment (Ariza- Montes et al, 2013; Cain, 2011; Rocker, 2012; Schat & Frone, 2011; Vessey et al., 2009).

Managers who are demanding or tough are not delineated as bullies if they maintain respect and their main motivation is to attain the most elevated levels of employee production by establishing elevated and feasible anticipations for the employees’  safe and productive work habits. The aspects of workplace bullying can be reviewed by labor representatives, contract employees, supervisory personnel and coworkers (Ariza- Montes et al, 2013; Cain, 2011; Rocker, 2012; Schat & Frone, 2011; Vessey et al., 2009).

Problem

Research which has been conducted among U.S. health care employees has demonstrated that 41.9% of the employees who participated in the survey documented having experienced psychological aspects of aggression in the workplace. The study discovered that almost fifteen million employees of 13% of the United States workforce documented being the recipients of psychological aggression every week (Schat & Frone, 2011).

The employee bullying activities are defined as:

1. Unnecessary or erroneous criticism, placing the blame on other employees in the absence of factual evidence.
2. Receiving treatment which is distinct from the co- workers in the health care environment.
3. Being the recipient of offensive and aggressive language.
4. Experiencing isolation, exclusion and humiliation in the health care setting.
5. Being the subject of excessive micro administration and supervision
6. Being the recipient of tasks with impossible deadlines (Ariza- Montes et al, 2013; Cain, 2011; Rocker, 2012; Schat & Frone, 2011; Vessey et al., 2009).

Background

Research has demonstrated that bullying by employees in the health care settings causes employees to experience the psychological and physical health problems which are defined as:

1. Decreased self esteem
2. Physical disabilities which include musculoskeletal dysfunctions
3. Increased employee down time.
4. Digestive and sleep disorders
5. Enhanced states of depressive behavior.
6. Domestic problems in the home environment due to work related stress
7. Economic difficulties which are the result of increased indexes of employee absence (Ariza- Montes et al, 2013; Cain, 2011; Rocker, 2012; Schat & Frone, 2011; Vessey et al., 2009).

The activities of bullying by health care employee affect s the health care organizations in the context of increased expenditures. These increased health care organization expenditures can be delineated as:

1. The replacement of personnel which depart as a consequence of experiencing bullying from other employees in the health care setting.
2. The health care endeavors of the employees being disrupted as the staff address the episodes of employee bullying in the health care environments.
3. The expenses which are connected with the review of employee mistreatment and the possible legal implications to the health care organization (Ariza- Montes et al, 2013; Cain, 2011; Rocker, 2012; Schat & Frone, 2011; Vessey et al., 2009).

Research has demonstrated that the managers who practice bullying of the health care employees are ineffective administrators who experience elevated indexes of personnel turn over and absences attributed to illness. These characteristics cause a decrease in employee morale and the performance of the health care facility usually decreases. The physical health manifestations, psychological depression and increased tension which are experienced by the health care employees have the consequences of work related absences which are non-costavoidant in the context of health care employee productivity andemployee compensation (Ariza- Montes et al, 2013; Cain, 2011; Rocker, 2012; Schat & Frone, 2011; Vessey et al., 2009).

The health related concerns which are experienced by the recipients of bullying by other employees in the health care organization have the outcome of the employees manifesting adverse emotional states and perceptions of helplessness. The decreased aspects of self- esteem and the adverse organizational environment which is created by bullying  cause the employees to demonstrate less creativity  and deters the health care employees; abilities to react to challenging or difficult situations in the health care environment (Ariza- Montes et al, 2013; Cain, 2011; Rocker, 2012; Schat & Frone, 2011; Vessey et al., 2009).

The loss of trust which occurs in an environment where health care employee bullying is prevalent infers that the health care employees will not be able to contribute optimal levels of performance, do not apply creative solutions and experience a decrease in providing feedback on deficiencies and may be less than forthright with regards to health care employee production (Ariza- Montes et al, 2013; Cain, 2011; Rocker, 2012; Schat & Frone, 2011; Vessey et al., 2009).

Harassment is a component of bullying behavior and is illegal. Harassment is composed of behaviors which are perceived as being unwelcome and offensive which become serious enough to influence the context of the health care employees’ production. Harassment may occur due to the perceptions that the perpetrator is in a protected social level. The categories which are protected from harassment in the workplace are: military service status, gender and sexual identity, status of being affected by HIV/ AIDS, disability, marital status, nationality, race and religious affiliation (Ariza- Montes et al, 2013; Cain, 2011; Rocker, 2012; Schat & Frone, 2011; Vessey et al., 2009).

The most common form of harassment in the health care environment occurs when an employee jests with regards to another employee’s sexual identity, race, culture or religion. This may be manifested by applying humiliating linguistic expression and behavior. The distinction between bullying and harassment in the health care environment is when the person who is engaged in the bullying behavior disregards requests to cease the adverse behavior.  Other situations which may be defined as harassment are when a male employee performs uninvited sexually directed behaviors toward a female employee (Ariza- Montes et al, 2013; Cain, 2011; Rocker, 2012; Schat & Frone, 2011; Vessey et al., 2009).

The act of bullying is distinct from retaliation. Retaliation takes place when a health care employee documents a complaint with regards to bullying. The adverse employment actions or bullying which result from documenting the complaint can be defined as retaliation (Ariza- Montes et al, 2013; Cain, 2011; Rocker, 2012; Schat & Frone, 2011; Vessey et al., 2009).

Solutions

The bullying behavior which is manifested by health care employees can be deterred if the health care organization possesses a workplace violence prevention program or codes of ethical employee behavior  which prohibit the psychological aggression and intimidation that occurs which is outside of the conventionally  accepted health care employee behaviors. Another solution would be to make the aggressor aware of the behaviors which are being manifested toward the health care employee and to explain the potential outcomes.  An employee who is a victim of bullying in the health care environment may choose to discuss the matter with a co- worker. The co- worker may assist in advocating for their workplace authorities to fair and equal treatment (Ariza- Montes et al, 2013; Cain, 2011; Rocker, 2012; Schat & Frone, 2011; Vessey et al., 2009).

The employerswhowitness bullying by the health care employees in the organizations con assume control and responsibility for the situation.  The employers can formulate a policy which does not tolerate bullying behaviors.  The employers who are witnesses to bullying in the health care settings may decide to take control. The employers can also establish workplace violence prevention programs and codes of employee ethical behavior which address bullying among employees (Ariza- Montes et al, 2013; Cain, 2011; Rocker, 2012; Schat & Frone, 2011; Vessey et al., 2009).

The employees must be able to acknowledge that they are recipients of bullying behavior by other workers in the health care setting.  The victim must be able to realize that the bullying behaviors are an outcome of a desire for power and control over fellow health care employees. Consequently, the employee must come to the realization that the bullying behaviors which are exercised by other health care workers are not related to their job performance.  The victim who is the recipient of the bullying behavior may wish to informally document the episodes of bullying behavior in the form of a diary (Ariza- Montes et al, 2013; Cain, 2011; Rocker, 2012; Schat & Frone, 2011; Vessey et al., 2009).

Conclusion

The most effectivehealthcare organizations enable the healthcare employees with senses of feeling accepted, valued and respected. Effective health care managers encourage professional behavior and deter bullying behaviors which originate from one health care employee to another in the health care environment. The effective health care managers also produce efficient workplace implementations which providedefinitions for workplace challenges that occur between the employees at the health care facilities. The effective aspects of success are evaluated by the attainment of elevated levels of patient well-being and the quality of care which exercised by the health care organization. In applying the methods which have been delineated, the employers and the employees of the health care organizations can assist in helping to make the health care workplace a place where all can work without fear of bullying, harassment or retaliation.

References

Ariza- Montes, A., Muniz, N. M., Montero- Simó, M. J. & Arranque- Padilla, R. A. (2013). Workplace bullying among healthcare workers. Int J Res Public Health, 10(8): 3121- 3138.

Cain, J. (2011). Social media in health care: The case for organizational policy and employee education. American Journal of Health System Pharmacy, 68(10: 1036.

Rocker, C.F. (2012). Responsibility of a frontline manager regarding staff bullying.OJIN,  12(3).

Schat, A.,& Frone, M. R. (2011). Exposure to psychological aggression at work and job performance: The mediating role of job attitudes and personal health. Work Stress,    25(1): 23- 40.

Vessey, J. A., DeMarco, R..F., Gaffney, D. A., & Budin, W. C. (2009). Bullying of staff registered nurses in the workplace: a preliminary study for developing personal and organizational strategies for the transformation of hostile to healthy workplace environment. Journal of Ptofessional Nursing, 26(5): 209- 306.