Lateral Violence in Nursing: Recognizing It, Responding to It, and Not Passing It On
"Nurses eat their young" is a saying, not a rule. The profession's own code rejects it.
Photo: RDNE Stock project / Pexels
Eye-rolls when you ask a question. Being left out of report. Gossip, sabotage, public criticism. Incivility and bullying between coworkers, often called lateral or horizontal violence, can make a new nurse's first year miserable.
Photo: Tessy Agbonome / Pexels
The profession is clear that it isn't acceptable. The American Nurses Association's position statement on incivility, bullying and workplace violence quotes the Code of Ethics: nurses must "create an ethical environment and culture of civility and kindness, treating colleagues, co-workers, employees, students, and others with dignity and respect." It also says registered nurses and employers in all settings must collaborate to create a culture of respect. ANA lists consequences including low job satisfaction, impaired nursing judgment, physical and psychological health effects, and nurses leaving the profession (ANA, Incivility, Bullying, and Workplace Violence, 2015, nursingworld.org/globalassets/practiceandpolicy/work-environ).
Hospitals have obligations too. Joint Commission-accredited hospitals must have a code of conduct that defines behaviors that undermine a culture of safety and a process for managing those behaviors (Joint Commission, NPG 2026, NPG.02.03.01 EPs 12–13, digitalassets.jointcommission.org/api/public/content/9ca8005).
Educational note: This is general information, not legal advice. If you're experiencing harassment or discrimination, your HR department and your state's resources can explain your options.
Practical takeaways:
- Name the behavior privately and calmly when it feels safe: "When you sighed and walked away when I asked about the drip, I felt shut down. I need to be able to ask."
- Keep a factual log: date, time, what happened, any witnesses.
- Find allies, such as your preceptor, educator, a mentor or a charge nurse you trust.
- Use your hospital's code-of-conduct reporting process if it continues.
- Refuse to pass it on when you're the experienced one.
Link idea: If the unit culture won't change, a new unit may be the healthiest move: https://jobs.rnsignal.com/jobs/search/rn-jobs?utm_source=rnsignal&utm_medium=site&utm_campaign=new-grads&utm_content=lateral-violence-in-nursing
Sources: ANA (2015), Joint Commission NPG (2026), links above
Related: /bedside/workplace-violence-against-nurses/ (violence from patients and visitors)
New-grad and residency job category pending on the board.