Lateral Violence
The Negative Effects of “Nurses Eating their Young” and how to stop them
Kenton David Peacock, RN
Chipola College BSN Program
Jonna Bradley, ARNP, Instructor
The Nursing profession is not one that one would expect to be riddled with acts of violence among colleagues. A common saying among new nurses relating to more seasoned nurses is that “Nurses eat their young”. Two of the reasons that were cited as factors in lateral violence, according to a journal article in Virginia Nurses Today, are low self-esteem and lack of respect for others (Brothers, Condon, Cross, Ganske, & Lewis, 2011). These traits are not traits that one would expect to be a major player in the personality of such a caring profession. The presence of lateral violence (LV) in the workplace has a negative effect on healthcare delivery. Oddly, the introduction that a potential nurse will have to LV in the workplace can actually begin within the Nursing school setting. There are those that question whether that the origin of LV is within the educational institutions that train nurses and their faculty (Beasley, 2010). Faculty incivility, in which incivility is a term that was coined for lateral violence, creates a destructive culture that denies students the opportunity to learn, grow, and develop in a profession that is known for its compassion (Beasley, 2010). Lateral violence can be significantly reduced or eliminated when the behavior is recognized, acknowledged, and appropriately and consistently addressed at both the individual and organizational level (Harley, n.d.). The implementation of training regarding the incidence of LV and its’ consequences is a means to improve the nursing work environment, patient care outcomes, and nurse retention – elements negatively affected by LV in the workplace (Embree & White, 2010). There are many negative results from LV related to the nursing work environment. The direct result is the level of stress that those that are involved,
Kenton David Peacock, RN
Chipola College BSN Program
Jonna Bradley, ARNP, Instructor
The Nursing profession is not one that one would expect to be riddled with acts of violence among colleagues. A common saying among new nurses relating to more seasoned nurses is that “Nurses eat their young”. Two of the reasons that were cited as factors in lateral violence, according to a journal article in Virginia Nurses Today, are low self-esteem and lack of respect for others (Brothers, Condon, Cross, Ganske, & Lewis, 2011). These traits are not traits that one would expect to be a major player in the personality of such a caring profession. The presence of lateral violence (LV) in the workplace has a negative effect on healthcare delivery. Oddly, the introduction that a potential nurse will have to LV in the workplace can actually begin within the Nursing school setting. There are those that question whether that the origin of LV is within the educational institutions that train nurses and their faculty (Beasley, 2010). Faculty incivility, in which incivility is a term that was coined for lateral violence, creates a destructive culture that denies students the opportunity to learn, grow, and develop in a profession that is known for its compassion (Beasley, 2010). Lateral violence can be significantly reduced or eliminated when the behavior is recognized, acknowledged, and appropriately and consistently addressed at both the individual and organizational level (Harley, n.d.). The implementation of training regarding the incidence of LV and its’ consequences is a means to improve the nursing work environment, patient care outcomes, and nurse retention – elements negatively affected by LV in the workplace (Embree & White, 2010). There are many negative results from LV related to the nursing work environment. The direct result is the level of stress that those that are involved,