Gossiping and bad-mouthing colleagues can have negative effects on the kind of relationships formed at the workplace and have the potential of bringing conflicts amongst workers. Additionally, this practice can have devastating effects on trust issues in the workplace and colleagues will find it hard sharing information or seek advice concerning the problems they are going through in life or the difficulties they are facing at work. Therefore, clinical practices such as interdisciplinary teams where health practitioners ought to collaborate and share information would be affected since there is no harmony at the workplace due to the distrust among caregivers. It is the responsibility of caregivers to respect each other privacy and maintain confidentiality among them to create a healthy working environment and maintain professionalism.
In handling this situation, it is important to have moral courage and protect the interest of colleagues who have no power to protect themselves from whose names can be tarnish by the malicious individuals. I would advise my colleagues against speaking negatively about the other nurse since it can create enmity at the hospital. Although my fellow nurses might see me as an enemy or out of place, it is good to speak the truth and create a sense of respect at the workplace. Respect amongst nurses will enhance professionalism since they will concentrate on their mandate only not personal issues which have no value to nursing practice (ANA, 2014). It is also ethical to create utility at the workplace whereby everyone one will enjoy peace and confidentiality. According to the utilitarianism theory, our actions ought to maximize well-being across the board and increase happiness (Vaughn, 2015). As such, our actions should be geared towards achieving a greater good and creating harmony in hospitals and other health care facilities where nurses can collaborate in giving care to patients rather than fighting amongst themselves and creating enemies. According to the American Nurse Association, nurses ought to be accountable for their own words, action and behavior (ANA, 2014). They ought to create a civil environment to eliminate any form of violence or bullying. American Nurse Association calls on nurse leaders to form civility policies and code of conduct to eliminate disruptive behavior.
In conclusion, as nurses, it is important to respect personal space and personal information concerning our colleagues. As such nurses should strive to create harmony and professionalism at the workplace to enhance collaboration and achieving their mandate of giving utmost care to patients.
References
ANA. (2014). Toward civility | The American Nurse. Retrieved from http://www.theamericannurse.org/index.php/2014/02/27/toward-civility/
Vaughn, L. (2015). Doing ethics: Moral reasoning and contemporary issues. WW Norton & Company.
