Fear in the Wards: How We’re Silencing the Next Generation of Nurses

A senior nurse speaks out on the toxic mentorship culture in nursing; the humiliation passed down as “discipline” and calls on the profession to break the cycle before it breaks the next generation of Nurses.

A Tradition We Need to Question

It is very pertinent that we tell ourselves the truth and it’s that we are making our profession more difficult and increasingly toxic by the way and manner in which we humiliate and embarrass ourselves in the name of correction or mentorship. These days, we have convinced ourselves that bullying in the various wards has become part of training, and that because I had bad experiences while in school back then, you, as a junior colleague, must also have a taste of it. But if I may ask, when did seniority give us the licence and freedom to disrespect, humiliate, and harshly step on the toes of young nurses?

The Cost of Humiliation

It is this tradition that continuously demoralizes our young nurses and gradually kills the zeal and enthusiasm they have for the profession. There are many who can no longer keep their spirits upright or stand confidently in the presence of some senior nurses just because of how they have turned the atmosphere black and hostile for them. A mistake that should have been negligible becomes something to shout about, sometimes even using it as an opportunity to embarrass a young nurse in the presence of students, colleagues, or patients’ relatives. But maybe we don’t know that there is no literature that says correcting someone requires you humiliating them. By and large, there is also no justification for harshly scolding someone over a mistake that could have been addressed through a respectful and constructive conversation.

When Fear Replaces Learning

Sometimes, we don’t realize the consequences of such actions. One of the most damaging consequences, however, is the installation of fear in the mind of a young nurse. That fear may eventually make them afraid to ask questions about things they do not understand. Anytime they wish to ask, their mind begins to tell them, “If I ask this question, I will receive the embarrassment of my life.” And once you stop someone from asking questions, you are also stopping them from learning. Respect should always be mutual, and the goal of mentorship should never be to scare people away. It should be to bring them closer and to create an environment where they feel safe enough to learn, make corrections, ask questions, and grow under your beautiful guidance.

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What Are We Really Teaching Our Students?

Another issue of serious concern is how we treat students during their clinical postings. Just imagine a staff member telling a student that her brain is “stony dull” on percussion😣! What exactly are we creating? Are we building competent future nurses, or are we creating a generation of professionals who will eventually reproduce the same cruelty when they become senior staff? Our current attitude towards students on clinical posting is, in many instances, not helping matters. Instead, we impart them with knowledge, confidence, discipline, and professionalism, some of us are unfortunately passing down harshness, humiliation, and absolute fear which we sometimes foolishly perceive as discipline. If students learn nothing from us except harshness, then we have failed one of the most important responsibilities of a healthcare professional which is to prepare the next generation better than we were prepared.

Architects of a Bad Tomorrow

The sad thing now is that we are becoming architects of a bad tomorrow. We are moldings students who may eventually believe that disrespect, confrontation, and humiliation are normal components of professional authority. Let me narrate you a story, I once heard of an incident where a student physically attacked a nurse after the nurse allegedly insulted the student’s parent. Was the student’s reaction acceptable? The answer should absolutely be not. But we must also ask ourselves what happened before the reaction? What culture are we producing when professional disagreements escalate into personal insults? There is no professional constitution that gives us the right to insult students placed under our tutelage and that seniority does not make someone infallible, equally, being a teacher does not give anyone permission to destroy another person’s confidence. Until we become better and courageous enough to tell ourselves the truth, we will continue to struggle with unhealthy relationships between seniors and juniors, staff and students.

Breaking the Cycle Starts with Us

And just because you suffered during your training; that does not automatically guarantee someone else must suffer too. Your painful experiences should even become lessons and make you kinder, that seniority should make you a better mentor, not a more powerful oppressor. The next generation of nurses is watching us and are learning not only from what we teach in classrooms and clinical areas, but also from how we speak, how we correct, how we treat mistakes, and how we treat those who are less experienced than us.

It is time to take our profession to another level of greatness. And before we demand change from others, we must first have the courage to look inward and set our own compass straight.

Join the Conversation

Have you experienced or witnessed this culture on the ward or during your clinical posting? What do you think the way forward looks like, for seniors, for students, and for the profession as a whole?

Share your thoughts and suggestions in the comments below. Your voice could be part of the conversation that finally changes how we mentor the next generation of nurses.