How to Deal with Negativity at the Nurses Station

by | Jun 26, 2017 | 17 comments

How to Deal with Negativity at the Nurses StationHow to Deal with Negativity at the Nurses Station

The nurses station. A breeding ground, metaphorically speaking, for negative nurses.

From personal experience…

When I worked as an inpatient psych nurse, I would literally LEAVE the nurses station. I would purposefully go sit in the day room where the patients watched TV and went to group, just so I could get away from the negative nurse.

Now, as I stated above. The nurses station is a metaphor for wherever you gather as a collective nursing group. Of course, if you do not work in a hospital setting, you may not find a typical nurses station during your workday.

But you may still come across negative nurses!

Nasty nurses, unhappy patients, and even unruly doctors may get in your way during the course of your workday as a nurse. So what do you do How do you deal with all of that potential negativity in nursing?

[Tweet “Here Are 6 Strategies for Dealing with Negative Nurses”]

How to Deal with Negativity at the Nurses Station1. First off, as best you can… avoid them. As I shared above, I removed myself from the nurses station just to get away from the negativity in the workplace. I do realize that you may not be able to always avoid a negative nurse, but I can tell you this. You become most like the people you spend a great deal of time with. Put yourself around positive coworkers and upbeat nurses if you want to remain that way.

2. OK, so you cannot always avoid them. You gotta work with negative nurses from time to time, eh? Well, here I suggest setting limits. That’s right. Put up healthy boundaries. Sure, you work with them. At work. And then you go home. Do not let these negative nurses drain your energy outside of work. Them being nasty is their “stuff”. When you leave the workplace, do not dwell on them. Don’t talk about them. Do not start telling your loved ones about the negative people you work with over dinner.

Why?

That energy then gets stuck in you. It becomes part of who you are. And you have then just allowed the negative nurse to infringe upon your space.

3. Third, bulk up on your “positive” juices before you get to work. No, I’m not talking about catching a buzz before your shift. What I mean here is use something that my dear friend and colleague talked about on her interview of the Your Next Shift podcast.

Sierra Marie Baker of Holistic Nightingale described a practice that she does every day as she walks into work. She recites a mantra such as “Calm, Cool, Collected” during her walk from parking lot to nursing unit. Now maybe reciting a mantra is not for you. But what I will encourage you to do is find your practice. Do what you need to do to beef up on positive vibes before entering the battlefield of negative nurses.

4. Next, be proactive. Now this may sound similar to the one above. But it is not exactly the same.

Maintain your own well-being. I am talking in mind, body, and spirit. So, exercise. Eat well. Get proper rest. All of that good stuff. Why?

When you are feeling cranky and tired yourself, it will be much easier for that negative nurse to get to you even more. If you are feeling healthy and strong you will have a much easier time walking away and not letting their gray cloud follow you.

5. Fifth, tell someone. OK, so I do not mean that you have to feel like a tattle tale and go rat out that negative nurse. No, but still…

What if that negative nurse is being that way for an even greater reason? Meaning, what if they are under the influence of drugs or alcohol? What if something is going on at home that they have not told anyone else about?

You never know it but you just might be helping another nurse out! If they are not typically nasty and then all of a sudden are, take the time to talk to them one-on-one first. Ask them if anything is wrong and if there is something that you can do to help. Then, if you are unable to handle it yourself, ask for help.

6. Finally, put yourself first. Yes, it sounds completely selfish. And you know what, I don’t even care!

I am sick and tired of hearing about these nurses who are out sick because they failed to take care of themselves earlier on. We need to move past this image of martyr nurses.

You need to enjoy your work. And that means being in an environment that is healthy and supportive. You need to take care of yourself first so you can show up and take the BEST care of your patients.

Time in short. Our lifespans are faster than we think. Wasting your days in a job that is filled with negative nurses is a terrible idea. If it has come to that, then it is time to make a change. Do what you love. Follow your heart. Make decisions on what is best for you.

By doing that you role model this behavior for other nurses to see. Then those who are newer and less experienced will realize earlier that taking care of ourselves is OK, even necessary. We can shift the entire profession of nursing from the inside out.

All it takes is one nurse at a time.

A nurse who practices nursing from within and puts themselves first.

Let’s hear from you! Have you experienced negative nurses in your nursing career? What did you do cope with the negativity in nursing? Share a comment below and thanks for reading!

p1050390About the Author: Keynote speaker and virtual conference host, Elizabeth Scala MSN/MBA, RN, partners with hospitals, nursing schools, and nurse associations to transform the field of nursing from the inside out. As the host of the Nurse’s Week program, The Art of Nursing, Elizabeth supports nursing organizations in celebrating and recognizing their staff in a meaningful way. Elizabeth received her dual master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University. She is also a certified coach and Reiki Master Teacher. Elizabeth lives in Maryland with her supportive husband and playful pit bull.

17 Comments

  1. Sierra Baker

    Thank you for sharing these valuable tips, Elizabeth! It seems the more we are asked to do, to meet standards and health care reforms (loosing the art of nursing), the more negative nurses become. It’s imperative that you – nurses – protect themselves from this negativity, just as you described above.
    I found myself surrounded by negativity and “crazy” yesterday. I had to continuously repeat my mantra throughout the day and I even snuck a little lavender spray out into the unit. (It totally helped calm things down!) I also practiced taking deep cleansing breathes, with loud open mouth exhales to help clear out the negativity. It really helped.

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      Great to hear it! Thanks for adding the tip about the lavender spray. Certainly just another great strategy to stay calm, cool, and collected during the day. And hey… sure, a day may get away from us. That is why we have the next to bring the practice to the forefront again. Trust me, I am not “perfect” in any of this. Have to keep refocusing and take it one day at a time. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your comments!

      Reply
    • Letty D.

      LCD, DNP
      All I can say is that there are 2 main strategies to handle negativity:
      Avoidance or confrontation.
      If you choose the 2nd, make sure that you have self-confidence to handle it.

      Reply
  2. Debbie

    Excellent advise, Elizabeth. Sierra, I like your natural solutions, clever idea using lavender to calm the others. I like to have a cup of Calm or Zen tea (Tazo teas), like the lavender spray, the scent is calming along with the warmth of hot tea. I used Calm before going to class after to hectic day at work, to help me relax and focus. Also great before bedtime. It is a caffeine free chamomile herbal blend.

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      Thanks Debbie! Glad you enjoyed the post. And thanks for the additional ideas!

      Reply
  3. kris sendelbach

    Thanks Elizabeth for keeping this in the front of our minds and practices. Whether we are talking about the nurses report area or the weekly meeting in home care/hospice work or the nurse’s area in clinic work, it is all still the same. Negativity breeds negativity. Staying positive is the best medicine: whether one uses a mantra or prayer or whatever your choice is. Don’t go a day without it. I find myself even choosing which people I decide to be friends with based on whether they are a positive or negative influence on my life and practice. We can’t let up on getting this word out as well as mutual respect for each other.

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      Thanks, Kris! Glad you enjoyed the article. And great point about who we surround ourselves with. We can choose to avoid or stay away from the negative people at work. Thanks for adding that to this post!

      Reply
  4. Christine

    Every morning, the last thing we do in our huddle is give a positive thought for the day. We then write it on our white board where it stays until the next morning. I have done this on three different units now that I have managed and I believe it really helps. The staff seem to look forward to it.
    I would also suggest encouraging and facilitating healthy conversations between staff members about negativity. I have a nurse that has been on my unit for many years. Recently, the new graduate that she oriented pulled her aside and was honest with her about her negativity. She has been a different person ever since. She simply didn’t realize how bad it was and how much it impacted others.

    Reply
    • Diane

      Christine, I think your point is so valid. Sometimes people truly don’t realize how they’re coming across, and they’re not going to change until somebody speaks up and brings it to their attention.

      Reply
    • Elizabeth

      Wow, these are AWESOME practices. Thank you for sharing them here with us, Christine.

      Reply
  5. John Green, RN, MSN

    This is such a great article! I feel like it takes courage for the nurse to challenge the negativity and or deflect it with positive statements. I particularly like how you do not let us forget that someone may just be under the influence while at work. I have experienced this more than I wish to admit, however the negative, angry nurse happen to be intoxicated at the time! Great article for nurses who want to change the culture at the nurses station to a positive one!

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      Thanks, John!

      Reply
  6. Laura

    Louise L Hay has several different boxed power thought and wisdom cards. I use these at work. I lay the cards out on the counter top and tell everyone to pick one card randomly with their eyes closed. It always seems the card fits the way things are going in life and I refer to the card throughout the day. I always tell myself, “It’s going to be a great day!” I am into the essential oils as well. They not only help me but also the people around me.

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      This is wonderful! What a great idea. Thank you for sharing this with the Nursing from Within community. I hope nurses read your comment and try this in their own workplaces!

      Reply
  7. Tracy

    I start with “It’s going to be a great day”. I work with a mood-hoover, she sucks the positivity out of the unit. It’s worst on her first day back and gets better as the week goes by. There’s no place to hide from her as we must watch the monitors. I’ve told her not to speak to me on her darker days and report it to management. She admits to using Norco from time to time. Thank you for your pointers.

    Reply
  8. Roxana

    Great article! I try not to be that negative nurse but sometimes I do faulter. Talking care of yourself is super important both mentally and physically. I faulter with that also, but always get back on the boat!

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      Right on, Roxana. One day at a time… one choice to be either positive or negative. Thanks for reading and I am glad that you enjoyed the article!

      Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Q

Love the Content?

Join the mailing list for even more great information from Elizabeth Scala!

Name
Opt-in Notice(Required)
By submitting this form, you agree to receive email marketing from Elizabeth Scala regarding our products and services.
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.