Community-Building Process Provides a Way to Address ‘Horizontal Violence’ Between Nurses
Philadelphia, Pa. (October 26, 2011) – Bullying and other types of disruptive behavior in health care settings are common problems that can negatively affect patient care. An approach incorporating emancipatory education and community-building provides a way of addressing “horizontal violence” between nurses, according to a paper in the November issue of Advances in Nursing Science. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.
A group process called “Peace and Power” can transform “alienation and conflict to connection and community,” among nurses, according to the new article by Joy Longo, PhD, RN, and Marlaine C. Smith, PhD, RN, AHN-BC, FAAN, of Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton. They write, “This can lead to healthier work environments for nurses and better health outcomes for patients.”
When Horizontal Violence Poses Threats to Patient Care…
Longo and Smith introduce the problem of horizontal violence and its potentially harmful effects on patient care. Disruptive behaviors such disrespectful language, demeaning behavior, and anger outbursts are examples of “overt or covert behaviors…creating breakdowns in communication and collaboration [and] leading to gaps in the transfer of critical information among colleagues.”
While short-tempered doctors are stereotypically regarded as the perpetrators of bullying, Longo and Smith call on nurses and other health care staff to recognize these behaviors in themselves. Horizontal violence occurs when “Displaced frustration resulting from oppression [is] manifested as conflict within the same ranks, from coworker to coworker,” they write. Rather than speaking out against oppression, nurses may direct misplaced anger toward colleagues. Alternatively, they may fall silent, becoming unable to speak up for themselves or their patients.
Conflict between nurses may feel dangerous, but actually represents an opportunity for growth, Longo and Smith believe. They write, “When conflict surfaces, there is a chance to reinvent working relationships and begin to build community.”
…’Peace and Power’ Transforms Conflict into Community Building
To achieve those goals, they recommend the Peace and Power approach, consisting of group meetings with shared leadership, in which “every perspective is given voice, respected, and integrated into the whole.” Built on the idea of emancipatory education, the process seeks to “level the hierarchy…freeing victims of oppression to move toward meaningful action.”
By allowing all group members to speak and have their views respected, the process allows nurses—perpetrators as well as victims of horizontal violence—to build community together, establishing “a new foundation of fairness and respect.” Participants can apply their newly learned skills to improving the health care systems in which they work, and thus to improving the outcomes for patients under their care. Through the community-building approach, nurses overcome the cycle of oppression and anger resulting in horizontal violence, leading to “the full realization of nurses’ potential to care for their patients and each other.”
About Advances in Nursing Science
Consistently ranked as one of the most-read and most assigned journals by faculties of doctoral programs in nursing, Advances in Nursing Science (ANS) is the most stimulating publication in nursing science and education today. ANS is intellectually challenging, yet readable; innovative, yet scientifically sound; reliable research without the tedious, traditional hard science approach found in so many other journals. Each issue features a single timely research topic with exciting implications for patient care. Articles in ANS are peer-reviewed and chosen for their pioneering approaches and perspectives, which set the direction for nursing practice today.
About Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW) is a leading international publisher for healthcare professionals and students with nearly 300 periodicals and 1,500 books in more than 100 disciplines publishing under the LWW brand, as well as content-based sites and online corporate and customer services.
LWW is part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading global provider of information, business intelligence and point-of-care solutions for the healthcare industry. Wolters Kluwer Health is part of Wolters Kluwer, a market-leading global information services company with 2010 annual revenues of €3.6 billion ($4.7 billion).
Lifestyle Changes Come First in Reducing Triglyceride Levels
Prestigious Award Recognizes ‘Overall Communications Effectiveness and Excellence’
Philadelphia, Pa. (October 24, 2011) – The editors and publisher of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), are pleased to announce that their journal has received an APEX 2011 Award for Publication Excellence Competition. The annual APEX Awards are sponsored by the editors of Writing That Works, a report for communicators who write, edit and manage business publications.
The APEX Award was given in the “Home Pages” category, recognizing the high-quality design and editorial content of the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery website. The award is the second for the journal, which received an APEX 2009 Award in the category of Print Magazines and Journals.
APEX Award Reflects High Quality and Value of Online Edition
“We’re pleased and honored to receive this prestigious award for the second time in three years,” comments Rod J. Rohrich, MD, of University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, and Editor-in-Chief of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. “It is a fitting recognition of our publishing team’s hard work and dedication to making our journal the one consistently excellent resource for our specialty.”
Accessed at www.PRSJournal.com the journal home page serves as the entry point for a wealth of indispensible content for plastic surgeons and other professionals with an interest in the field. In addition to providing subscribers to full access to each monthly issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the home page provides links to a wealth of valuable information, including collections on topics of special interest, educational videos and podcasts, and blogs.
Another recently added feature is open access to selected premium content and important articles. The goal is to provide the world plastic surgery community with broad-ranging, in-depth content that will enhance their professional development and clinical skills—and thus their ability to provide the highest-quality care for patients undergoing plastic and reconstructive surgery.
“Winning the APEX Award demonstrates our journal’s commitment to producing the highest-quality electronic access to the critically important research papers as well and other content of value to plastic surgeons,” Dr Rohrich adds. Further extending the journal’s reach, PRS recently added an iPad edition, now available for download at the iTunes App Store.
APEX 2011, The Twenty-third Annual Awards for Publication Excellence, recognize excellence in graphic design, editorial content, and the ability to achieve overall communications excellence. The annual awards program is sponsored by Communications Concepts, Inc., publisher of Writing That Works: The Business Communications Report, a bimonthly newsletter covering business writing, editing and publishing for communicators in corporate,
nonprofit, agency and independent settings.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery® is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, part of Wolters Kluwer Health. “It’s obviously terrific news that our journal’s home page has been recognized with the APEX Award,” comments James R. Mulligan, Publisher of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. “We think it’s a real pacesetter in terms of what the online edition of a specialty surgical journal can be. We look forward to continuing to work with our partners at ASPS to maintain Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery as an indispensible monthly resource for the plastic surgery community.”
About Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
For more than 60 years, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery® (http://journals.lww.com/plasreconsurg/) has been the one consistently excellent reference for every specialist who uses plastic surgery techniques or works in conjunction with a plastic surgeon. The official journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery® brings subscribers up-to-the-minute reports on the latest techniques and follow-up for all areas of plastic and reconstructive surgery, including breast reconstruction, experimental studies, maxillofacial reconstruction, hand and microsurgery, burn repair, and cosmetic surgery, as well as news on medico-legal issues.
About ASPS
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (http://www.plasticsurgery.org/) is the largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons in the world. Representing more than 7,000 physician members, the Society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS comprises more than 94 percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States. Founded in 1931, the Society represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
About Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW) is a leading international publisher for healthcare professionals and students with nearly 300 periodicals and 1,500 books in more than 100 disciplines publishing under the LWW brand, as well as content-based sites and online corporate and customer services.
LWW is part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading global provider of information, business intelligence and point-of-care solutions for the healthcare industry. Wolters Kluwer Health is part of Wolters Kluwer, a market-leading global information services company with 2010 annual revenues of €3.6 billion ($4.7 billion).
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