Every nurse must respond in the same way every time verbal abuse occurs. The majority of physicians are not verbally abusive and we need to reinforce the behavior of these physicians who do respect us as their colleagues. They are our best allies in changing the behavior of the bullies. The incentives are high. When nurses and physicians collaborate, patients receive better care and have better outcomes.
Organizations run more efficiently and productivity increases.
Morale improves and nursing turnover rates decline. When nurses are verbally abused, the downhill slide begins. In the final analysis, the organization with the fewest bullies wins.