Overview
Reply to these discussion post separately and include at least 1 scholarly citation for each ( different from theirs)
1. Is Bullying or Horizontal Violence an Issue in the Clinical Environment?
Yes, bullying and horizontal violence are significant issues in the clinical environment and have been harmful to both individual nurses and the overall healthcare system. Horizontal violence—hostile, aggressive, and harmful behavior by a nurse toward a peer—is especially troubling in high-stress environments like hospitals, where teamwork and communication are vital.
Studies have shown that workplace bullying can result in decreased job satisfaction, increased turnover, emotional distress, and compromised patient care. The nature of nursing, combined with high workloads and burnout, creates conditions where bullying behaviors can thrive if not addressed. According to Sauer (2012), workplace bullying among nurses can lead to "physical and psychological stress, reduced morale, and decreased organizational commitment," all of which negatively affect patient outcomes and staff retention.
How Nurse Mentors Can Promote Professional Socialization in the Workplace
Nurse mentors play a vital role in promoting professional socialization by fostering a supportive and respectful clinical environment. One of the most effective ways this can be done is by serving as role models, consistently demonstrating professional behavior, respectful communication, and empathy. This sets the tone for what is expected within the workplace. Additionally, mentors can encourage open communication by creating a safe space where nurses feel comfortable asking questions and expressing concerns without fear of judgment. They also help establish a safe learning environment by supporting growth through guidance rather than criticism, which empowers new nurses to learn from mistakes without fear. Teaching conflict resolution skills is another essential component, as it equips nurses with tools to address interpersonal issues constructively before they escalate into bullying. Lastly, nurse mentors can foster team cohesion by actively including new nurses in collaborative activities and decision-making processes, helping them feel like valued members of the team. Through these actions, mentors contribute to a culture of mutual respect and support, which is essential in breaking the cycle of bullying and horizontal violence in the clinical setting.
Reference Sauer, P. A. (2012). Do nurses eat their young? Truth and consequences. Journal of Emergency Nursing, 38(1), 43–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jen.2011.08.012.
2. The phrase "nurses eat their young" has been around for decades. The consequences of bullying include nurses reporting poorer mental health, decreased collaboration with team members, ineffective communication, reduced work productivity, and poor job commitment.
- Do you feel bullying or horizontal violence is an issue in the clinical environment? Why or why not?
I feel like horizontal violence is an issue in the clinical environment, especially with newly grads. The term “horizontal violence” refers to non-physical, hostile, aggressive, and/or harmful behaviors against a colleague. Such acts of horizontal violence include sabotage, passive-aggressive behavior, scapegoating, and withholding information (What Is Horizontal Violence in Nursing and How Can We Prevent It?, 2024). In nursing, experienced nurses may view themselves as superior, leading them to treat new nurses unfavorably. Stress can play a big role in this issue since nursing as a profession is a stressful one that creates a high-pressure environment, thus making nurses more prone to interpersonal conflicts and horizontal violence (Snively & Vaughn, 2024). In a high-paced environment, seasoned nurses may not want to deal with inexperienced nurses slowing them down or having to teach them. Victims of horizontal violence may feel uncomfortable reporting the abuse due to fear of retaliation. This can negatively impact their overall mental health, resulting in feelings of inadequacy, loneliness, and depression (Snively & Vaughn, 2024). Aside from fear inhibiting all reporting, horizontal violence in nursing still exists due to a lack of respect and/or support among nurses, organizational chaos, and behaviors that are either minimized or just not recognized as harmful (What Is Horizontal Violence in Nursing and How Can We Prevent It?, 2024). As such, nurses who end up experiencing horizontal violence tend to be more likely to either leave their job or change careers altogether (Zhang et al., 2022).
- Discuss how the nurse mentor can promote professional socialization in the workplace.
The nurse mentor can facilitate the new nurse’s transition by helping build self-confidence through one-to-one meetings and debriefing sessions. This encourages self-evaluation as well as self-reflection in a supportive and welcoming environment. Reflection and journaling can be used as a means of transitioning since it allows the new nurse to understand the thought process of their more experienced colleagues (Bellucci & Misher, 2020). Mentors can also encourage the rest of the staff to self-reflect on their behaviors in order to foster a supportive and positive work environment. The nurse mentor can also model healthy behaviors, not only for the new nurse but for the existing staff as well and demonstrate respectful communication while enforcing zero-tolerance policies (Snively & Smallwood, 2025).
References
Bellucci, N., & Misher, S. (2020, June 25). What can we do to promote professional socialization in nursing? RN Journal. https://rn-journal.com/journal-of-nursing/what-can-we-do-to-promote-professional-socialization-in-nursing
Snively, E., & Smallwood, R. (2025). 5 Ways to reduce horizontal violence in healthcare. Relias. https://www.relias.com/blog/5-
Zhang, Y., Yin, R., Lu, J., Cai, J., Wang, H., Shi, X., & Mao, L. (2022). Association between horizontal violence and turnover intention in nurses: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Public