The Threat of Cyberbullying in the Nursing Unit

How common is cyberbullying in nursing? Surprisingly, very common, and like other professions that work with people in general, cyberbullying can seriously affect nurses and patients negatively. But, it is a rather silent issue in the workplace, and it needs to be addressed and not pushed aside by those who simply do not say anything when they see it.

In this day and age of the Internet, there are different ways that some people have come about trying to express more than their opinions online. In fact, many can use hurtful words and actions that cannot be taken back. Apologies are to be heard all around, granted if those who committed these types of acts are truly sorry for them and the damage they have caused to those they have affected. It is not something that can just be thought about and then left; this is an issue that some nurses are facing on a daily basis.

There was actually just a recent case of a woman who held up a baby as a prop for the camera that went viral. Despite her apology, her actions were viewed for what they truly were. Handling cyberbullying is indeed a special case that some people are not aware of. If someone is experiencing a troubling time, reporting the person to a superior and helping out the victim can generally be better than confronting those who are doing the bullying themselves. It is not always something that is easy to consider, but is something to keep an eye on. There are those who truly do not want to believe that this can actually take place at their place of work and even where they are studying at. Just like it can be for those who are facing issues with bullying in other areas, cyberbullying is something that is very real today.

It is not always easy to address these issues, as it might not seem apparent and there are those who might feel as if it truly is not their place to report issues to a superior or their employer. Cyberbullying is a truly real threat that can happen on any app or a form of social media, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc, and it surprisingly is brushed aside more often than it should be.

 Discriminatory comments are very hurtful and can absolutely be the reason for someone to lose their job. Although some people might not understand how this can affect a person, there are times when these types of behaviors need to be reported to the proper authorities. They are more than just words, and these comments can be the reason why someone either quits their job or even has an emotional breakdown.

Those who see someone being bullied or even the victim should have the proper resources to report them, as when one is facing this emotional turmoil, it can indeed follow them as they work. And, how well does emotional stress do while working with patients? Not very well.

You may delete comments but they are not erased permanently. There are screenshots that can be taken and some deleted comments and messages can even be recovered. This is something that is not often thought about by those who make these kinds of comments, and there are also some other types of cyberbullying that are a real threat. Unprofessional conduct and talking about information that should be privileged is just another way that people can be cyberbullied without name calling others. There are also people that could very well need the impact that they have caused explained to them.

Cyberbullying and its impacts

Facing the issues that arise from cyberbullying are just a few things that might not seem like a possibility. Some people also believe that they are supposed to feel a certain way after. It is ok to admit that there could be some emotional support needed for quite a while, if not for a lifetime in some that have faced these types of issues long term. Though, knowing where to turn to just for emotional support from these issues can be frustrating.

There are different nursing groups out there that can help those who need it. If someone has proof that they were being cyberbullied or have noticed it, they should report that to someone that can help manage these problems that have occurred. While some might just get a warning for this offense, there are some who are placed on leave or are forced to leave the setting of the field of healthcare entirely.

This has been known to happen for more serious offenses, although lighter ones are also able to be looked at from any level depending upon the severity of the types of problems that are affecting others. There are also certain staff members that should be made aware of this for when it does happen in any kind of healthcare setting.  There are indeed different programs and councils out there that can grant access to these topics better than most are able to perform.

Online bullying is not something that is new. Ever since the age of the Internet and any place where people can talk to one another online, there has indeed been some cyberbullying. It was far more overlooked back then, meaning that those who were looking for a way to report this did not nearly as many resources as individuals do today. Overall, reporting this type of issue is far easier than it ever was before. If a place of work is not taking this seriously at all, there are different ways to go about reporting this. There are different ways to report this when a healthcare setting is not taking it as seriously given the different types of rules. Looking to official sources can be something that is an option for those who want to have their concerns taken seriously.

There are different healthcare settings that might be easier than others when it comes to avoiding cyberbullying. It can never truly be eliminated until certain issues are addressed regarding the safety of those online and beyond. Social media and the internet have become great ways for people to express their views and for those to find out information, but it also has granted access to those who think it's okay to come onto someone's page and say negative comments.

Learning more about this issue can be something that all healthcare professionals can benefit from. Different types of cyberbullying do indeed exist. Finding out these different types and how they can impact the healthcare setting and disrupt the workplace is vital to understand. For those that are seeing something along the lines of cyberbullying, say something about it to those who can help stop it from happening again!

This is not something that a lot of people can deal with on their own, and it can indeed take professional help to stop it from continuing. Cyberbullying is still something that will remain a threat and issue, but there are plenty of good people out there that do not want to harm those they work with in an emotional and physical sense.