A new employee joins the workgroup and comes to the nurse to complain about one of the coworkers who makes inappropriate comments that make the employee uncomfortable. The other employees in the group identify this person to the nurse. What should the nurse tell the employee who made the complaint?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

3. Making inappropriate comments that make someone uncomfortable is a form of harassment, which creates a hostile environment that can affect an employee's physical and/or emotional health. Nurses who are aware of bullying are ethically obligated to report it to the appropriate person or group and to advocate for the safety and security of the employee or employees affected. The group is unlikely to tell this coworker to cease the comments. Ignoring the coworker will not alleviate or remove the problem. Filing a complaint may ultimately happen, but before this, the employee and nurse should speak to the management. The nurse has an ethical obligation to report such behavior to management.

A New Employee Joins the Workgroup and Comes to the Nurse