Toxic Nursing, Second Edition

Nursing has a not-so-secret problem. The profession is prone to—some would say thrives on—workplace conflict, incivility, bullying, and meanness. And while nurses observe and experience this conflict daily, too few have been trained in its resolution. Toxic Nursing aims to change that with strategies, tools, and techniques to help nurse leaders, managers, and administrators defuse conflict, turn around toxic situations, and create positive, healthy work environments.

Written by Cheryl Dellasega—author of the groundbreaking books Surviving Ophelia and Mean Girls Grown Up—Toxic Nursing explores the reasons behind toxic behavior and its impact on not just the workplace but patient safety.

A sample chapter from this book is available to download for free on the Sigma Repository.

Table of Contents

• Part 1: The Relational Nurse Manager
• Chapter 1: Incivility
• Chapter 2: The Newbie: Mistreatment of New Nurses
• Chapter 3: The Know-It-All/Criticism Queen
• Chapter 4: Gossip and Trash Talk
• Chapter 5: Cliques, Campaigns, and High School Drama
• Chapter 6: Competition and Credit
• Chapter 7: Nurse Managers as the Problem
• Part 2: Working Together
• Chapter 8: Men in White
• Chapter 9: Better Than You
• Chapter 10: Generations at Work
• Chapter 11: Competent and Caring Leaders?
• Chapter 12: Social Media, Electronic Communication, and Professionalism
• Part 3: Navigating Toxic Systems
• Chapter 13: Politics and CYA
• Chapter 14: Patients as Victims
• Chapter 15: On the Battlefield: Nurses Under Attack
• Chapter 16: Toxic Culture/Environment
• Chapter 17: Conclusion
• Appendix A: Is Your Management Style Causing Conflict?
• Appendix B: Conflict Case Scenario
• Appendix C: Organizational Cynicism Self-Assessment
• Appendix D: When It’s Time to Seek Outside Counsel
• Appendix E: Compassion Fatigue

About the Author

CHERYL DELLASEGA, PhD, RN, CRNP, is a Professor in the Department of Humanities at Penn State College of Medicine. An award-winning author, speaker, and researcher—and founder of Club and Camp Ophelia—she has spent much of her career helping women and girls confront and overcome bullying and relational aggression. She has worked clinically as a nurse practitioner and is an international expert on family relationships.