A few months ago, I posted this graphic to my Facebook page:
In general, I was expecting comments like, “Keep your belly button clean!” or “Never come back to the room with one of anything – always bring two!” And, yes, there were plenty of comments like that, but…
I also got an overwhelming number of comments like this:
“Don’t take anything personally. Grow a thick skin and don’t let anyone see you cry. The OR is full of aggressive personalities. You need a backbone and don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself.”
And while I 100% agree with everything that was said, it really bothered me that the majority of people working in the O.R. could only talk about how harsh the environment is. Why is it that the first thing that came to mind for most people was how to protect themselves from harsh, aggressive personalities?
The reason is simple:
Unkindness, bullying, and other bad behavior has been tolerated to the point that it’s ingrained in our culture.
Tolerating bad behavior in the OR only encourages it to continue. But actually confronting and addressing the issue is very difficult, which means bad behavior gets ignored in the hopes that it “will just go away,” but we all know that it doesn’t.
- A particular surgeon brings in a lot of money for the hospital, so leadership doesn’t confront them over their aggressive behavior out of fear that they’ll lose the surgeon and his income.
- Nurses and techs “eat their young” so to speak, criticizing their questions or inexperience.
- One person makes a mistake, and everyone gossips, humiliating them for their error.
- The charge nurse is rude to the staff and speaks harshly to them, or they single certain staff out for the hardest assignments.
- OR leadership won’t take complaints seriously, or they belittle and demean you when you bring up an issue that you feel is important.
These are just a few examples, but this type of behavior and tolerance is prevalent in our OR’s. For any number of reasons, we’ve allowed it to continue rather than stopping it when it starts. Which leaves OR staff feeling angry, frustrated, and powerless.
It’s time to make a change.
Bad behavior in the OR isn’t going to change overnight. We need zero-tolerance policies that are enforced, regardless of who the aggressor is. We need clear ways to make our voices heard and direct lines of communication when we need to escalate an issue. We need people in leadership who will listen and act. But, we need more than that.
We can’t just throw the entire problem at leadership and expect everything to change. We have to be part of the solution as well. Every single one of us needs to take responsibility for our own behavior, and we need to show kindness and compassion to everyone we work with, regardless of job title or position.
We CAN make a difference. The culture CAN change. It will take hard work and determination, but together we can make the OR a better working environment for everyone.
Tune In!
Bully in Scrubs: Straight Talk about a Big Problem – Listen in on First Case as we discuss more about bullying and other bad behavior in the OR. We’ll discuss the different forms of disruptive behavior, and ways we can be empowered to create a positive change in our environment.
You can also find the latest episode of First Case by clicking the tab at the top of this page titled First Case. Enjoy!
I’m a retired Certified Surgical Tech now ,(45 fantastic years in the OR) but I have 2 comments to add to your advice:
1) After you have scrubbed a case that was absolutely exhausting in any way , always remember “At least I’m not this poor patient” BOOM!
2) At the end of the day, shift or call night, always remember “ WE helped a lot of people today”. BOOM!
3 people stand out and they were and some are still amazing people. Jenny Ray Patterson, Charlie “Keith” Stephens (RIP), and Ms. Ann. These people took me under there wing and I’ll never forget them. They also allowed me to pass there knowledge and gentle but firmness on to all the people I trained. It’s all in what you want to make it. I worked as an RNFA for 11 years and I’ve seen Gods miracles and I’ve seen tragedy but at the end of the day I wouldn’t take it for nothing. Remember it cost nothing to be kind!