NursingLink

I just posted about nurses eating their young and said that we never do that on my unit. But what does go on that really upsets me is gossip. There is a group of about half a dozen nurses that talk about and make fun of everyone else behind their backs. Some things that have been said about me have gotten back to me and I have decided to take what they have said and use it to make my self a better nurse. But is has become a real problem on the unit. I think moral has suffered due to it because everyone knows its going on and wondering what is being said about them behind their backs. I have brought it up to the manager and she knows it is a problem too. But what to do about it is where we are stuck. Any suggestions.

Why not go to the person(s) that are doing the gossiping about you and ask them what they mean by what they say and tell them that you would appreciate it if they would stop.  Most who gossip either don't have a life and they sure don't like to be called on it.  If they are gossiping about something re: your skills, next time you have to do that skill have them accompany you and show you how it should or should not be done. And if they are going to your supervisor and doing the gossip gig, go to your supervisor and tell him/her you would rather hear from them and not through the grapevine.

dmazment says ...

Gossiping is a part of eating your young.  It leads to undermining someone's confidence and can lead  to disciplinary actions by a manager towards the innocent victim of gossip.

              dmazment, thank you for your comment on gossip, I hope everyone reads your insight about gossip. Alot of people listen and respect you opinion, I know I do.

I work in an office that is primarily women, with the exception of 2 male Doctors and our male ob coordinator.  My office is full of gossip, if it isn't about the newly single Doctor and his nurse, to stupid stuff that no one really cares to hear about (or at least I don't).  We have meetings about the subject, which is ridiculous in its own right, we are grown women and should respect our coworkers enough to leave that mess to our time off if you feel you need to talk about one another.  Our office had one past employee spread a rumor that two nurses were in the bathroom doing drugs....this is what she considered a prank.  Funny, because that nurse almost lost her 4 kids because of that rumor.  My thoughts, if you pretend like you didn't hear it and don't comment, then it won't get spread.  I am not the kind of person that talks about other people, so rarely do I hear it anyways.  Plus, being the assistant to the Administrator, they rarely throw tid-bits of gossip my way any how.