Workplace Bullying...could it be?

The note was from Lev, a former co-worker in the Philippines. It came with two CDs of Joey Ayala, an artist I used to listen to a lot and the montage of the former workplace photos in DVDs. In the organizational structure, Lev was more senior than me but I much older than him. I have kept closely in touch with my former co-workers. some of them like they are relatives. I owe them the debt of gratitude. On certain occasions and situations, it's payback time, on other occasions, it's me asking for favors. Warm regards and missing his bullying us...There are three of us who have left the Institute for North America: Beng in Seattle, Bobit in Toronto and myself. Lev meant heckling rather than bullying but he provided me with the word I needed at the moment.

 I have always been a participant-observer. The social worker in me always takes notes and thank heavens for blogging. I don't like to put words in anybody's mouth and you decide for yourself whether what I saw are cases of bullying in the workplace. You don't have to have a PhD in Behavioral Sciences to have an opinion for yourself.

The Bitter Chocolate 

G was so upset that she even expected the chocolate to taste bitter. Surprisingly, the chocolate was sweet and G felt a little embarrassed with her emotional state. Too much Dramamine! What started when Ms Y asked G to pull a chair ended with G feeling like a total slacker. "Why did you refuse to switch with Ms E on the patient in 205." Ms E thought that it was unfair that she be given a heavy patient with an acuity score of 20 for a primary and she wanted to switch for a patient who is not as heavy. G did not say no but told Ms E that she could help her anytime. G really believed that Ms B from day had a reason for giving Ms E the patient. G thought that Ms E belongs to the Whiners Clicque and her reply to Ms E must have been interpreted as how she would have said it if she did not bite her tongue. The night before, G worked with Ms S who was also given a similarly heavy patient for her primary by Ms B of day. But Ms S did not complain nor asked to switch with G for an easier patient. The truth is, had Ms S asked G the favor, G would have gladly complied. Ms S has always been very pleasant to work with. G did Ms S' peer evaluation review and  gave her the highest rating. She is among the nicest ones in the floor. As G wrote in my review, Ms S is always totally involved with her patients' care and always made herself available when her partner needed a hand. G did not tell Ms E that Ms B probably wanted the likes of Ms E to take charge and get involved with patients' total care, not only passing medications.

G could not believe that Ms C who is in the same level as Ms B of day  and was sitting about 2 meters away from Ms Y and G remarked that Ms B did not have a particular reason for giving Ms E a heavy patient. Ms C lectured G about teamwork on a one-on-one basis like completing learning module systems online and attending seminars on efficiency, quality service and other productivity pep talks every year for the last five years was not enough. Earlier that night, Ms J also instructed G to take a heavier patient that Ms B initially assigned her. Ms J ventually went to Ms C who approved the switch. Ms C later told G that Mr F, the patient who Ms J switched was unhappy with G that night. Ms C then instructed G to go to Mr. F's room and express her apologies and admit to Mr F that she was inefficient. G had Mr F the night before with Ms S and was aware that Mr F had altered mental state. G tried to explain to Ms C that Mr F was upset because Mr. F had called several times for Ativan. G tried to explain to Mr F that Ms J was with another patient at the moment but she would be with him shortly. G thought that admitting her worthlessness to a patient with an altered mental status is like to taking a confused patient's compliment seriously.