Mean girl nurses?

FigureThere is a lot of conversation about the “mean girl” stereotype in nursing that is trending on social media. Admittedly, the nursing profession has a reputation for “eating our young,” but has that reputation morphed into a present day mean girl problem? A quick internet search revealed the extent of online attention this idea is garnering. As I read through the posts, it was heartening to see comments from nurses who contested the notion that mean girls preferentially choose nursing as a profession, as some people alleged. Instead, they amplified the professional characteristics of nurses and the critical role of nurses in the health system. Do we have a mean girl problem in nursing? I have some opinions on that. First and foremost, bullies can wind up in just about any occupation and role. The nursing profession is not immune—but that does not imply we have a pervasive mean girl problem. We do have some bullies. A strong, positive peer culture combined with effective nursing leadership can prevent bullies from inflicting toxicity into a workplace. When bullying rises to a level that jeopardizes patient safety, it becomes a reportable disciplinary issue for unprofessional conduct to the Board of Nursing. Bullying must not be tolerated—that is a deliberate choice. Nurses are also educated and socialized to meet the demands of patient care and the challenges intrinsic to human interactions. Advocacy is a core element of the role. Assertiveness and advocacy are fundamentally linked. Not everyone is comfortable with direct communication, which is a hallmark of assertive behavior. It is easy to imagine that an assertive nurse may be unfairly labeled as a mean girl by some simply because of discomfort with directness. I recall being taught the differences between assertive and aggressive communication in nursing school. Aggressive communication can destroy relationships and do more harm than good. In my experience, assertiveness training offers an excellent foundation for effective communication in nursing practice and in life. Finally, it is interesting that the moniker of mean girls is linked to nurses when we also have men in our profession. Does that imply it is only the women in our profession who manifest this problematic behavior, or is it only the women who are held up as examples of mean girls? Even the term girls is demeaning in the context of professional nursing. No, I do not believe we have a mean girl problem, but, as with any profession, we have people with work performance issues that must be addressed. Until next time, LINDA LASKOWSKI-JONES, MS, APRN, ACNS-BC, CEN, NEA-BC, FAWM, FAEN, FAAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, NURSING2026