Nurses are our own worst enemies, and I will shout this from the rooftops. It is embarrassing, honestly. The battles we choose to fight among ourselves are ludicrous. This month, I debated whether to write this or stay silent. But silence is part of the problem, so here I am. This is not just a rant; it is a reflection of the rot that is creeping into a noble profession.
I have been quiet for a while, not because I had nothing to say, but because I needed a break. A break from toxicity that was draining my mind and spirit. A break to evaluate whether I should continue fighting mediocrity in systems that often reward it.
With the rapid growth of health institutions, many facilities are capitalizing on profit while minimizing expenditure often by placing emphasis in the wrong areas.If you are a healthcare worker and have never been told, “I really thought you earned better because of the name of your organization,” I applaud you. It means you work in an environment that values you. It’s not always about remuneration. Sometimes it’s about benefits like access to quality healthcare at little to no cost. But many of us do not even have that.
A few years ago, I took an extended sick leave longer than what my contract allowed. As per policy, I was paid half my salary. I accepted this reality because, at that time, I had no power to change my environment.
Here is the irony: I am a health worker, yet I could not afford the care I provide. I was not fit to return to work, but I had to. I needed medication. I needed money. And without a job, how would I survive? This is not unique to me. Many nurses face worse
Bullying in Disguise
Another silent epidemic is bullying especially of older nurses and often younger nurses. Imagine a nurse who faithfully served an organization in her youth, mentoring generations of nurses, whose clinical acumen is unmatched. Suddenly, as she nears retirement, she is labelled too slow, unfit, a liability. Instead of being transitioned into roles that honor her expertise, mentorship, education, policy, she is being forced into an early exit. That is not just wrong. It is institutional betrayal.
Motherhood and Hypocrisy
Then there is the treatment of nurses returning from maternity leave. A nurse comes back 3months postpartum, hormones still fluctuating, body still healing, and she is assigned night shifts. As if motherhood is universal and irrelevant. As if we are not in the same profession advocating for mental health and exclusive breastfeeding.
Some institutions still have no nursing rooms. Nurses express milk in storerooms with broken equipment, in their cars parked under the sun, or worse washrooms because at least she can lock the door and get ten minutes of privacy. This is degrading. This is dehumanizing.
The Staffing Paradox
The most common grievance today? Glorifying nurses who work under unsafe staffing ratios and still deliver “excellent results.”How is that supposed to work? We celebrate burnout as heroism and call exhaustion dedication. This is not resilience; this is systemic exploitation.
A lot more examples exist. So please, check in on your nurse friends. A lot is happening behind the smiles they wear.
How Can Organizations Do Better?
Professional bodies like the American Nurses Association and institutions such as Chamberlain University outline practical strategies to foster healthy nursing teams:
1. Show Gratitude and Support- Pause to recognize small wins. A culture of gratitude improves morale, self-esteem, and resilience.
2. Share Ideas Openly- Encourage open dialogue, mutual respect, and shared decision-making. Nurses should feel safe to speak up.Hold regular team meetings and individual check-ins beyond annual reviews.
3. Prioritize Autonomy- Avoid micromanagement. Trust nurses’ competencies and encourage accountability without fear of punishment. Engage nurses in committees, policy discussions, and clinical decisions affecting their work.
4. Start Mentorship Programs- Mentorship enhances retention, critical thinking, communication, and professional growth especially for early-career nurses.
5. Encourage Integrity- Leaders must model honesty and respect. Integrity strengthens patient trust and organizational reputation. Align daily nursing work with the organization’s mission to build purpose and job satisfaction.
6. Celebrate Diversity- Respect differences in culture, background, and experiences. Diversity training fosters inclusion and psychological safety. Implement flexible scheduling, adequate staffing, and wellness initiatives to prevent burnout and compassion fatigue.
7. Develop a Growth Mindset- Reframe setbacks as opportunities for learning, not blame. Provide continuous education, scholarships, specialty certifications, and postgraduate support.
In summary, when nurses feel empowered, everyone benefits: patients, institutions, and the profession itself. Nursing empowerment begins with honesty, and honesty requires us to admit that sometimes, we are complicit in the systems that harm us. Nursing is noble but nobility must be matched with dignity especially among ourselves.
References
1..American Nurses Association. (2023). Team building strategies in nursing.
https://www.nursingworld.org
2. Chamberlain University. (2025). Strategies to empower nursing teams.
Other recommended reads
American Nurses Association. . Nurse staffing. American Nurses Association.
NurseJournal.org. (n.d.). Guide to retirement for registered nurses. NurseJournal.org.
American Nurse. (2022). Retirement: Planning for the next chapter [PDF]. American Nurses Association.
Brady, H. D., McGrath, D., & Dunne, C. P. (2023). Sick leave determinants in the healthcare sector (Part I): A review of contextual factors. Brown Journal of Hospital Medicine, 2(1), 57688.
https://www.chamberlain.edu
