Why Are Nurses Globally Divided? A Call for Unity, Compassion, and Change | By Anita Alexus Okocha
Behind the smiling faces and professional uniforms lies an uncomfortable truth: nurses often do not support one another. Instead, many newly qualified nurses, internationally trained professionals, and even experienced nurses new to a unit face bullying, exclusion, and toxic workplace behaviours. This silent crisis is contributing significantly to the global nursing shortage — and ultimately, to patient suffering.
The Hidden Divide in Nursing
Meanwhile, Nursing, by definition, is a caring profession rooted in compassion, ethics, and empathy. It operates under the principle of “Do no harm.” But what happens when harm is inflicted not on the patients, but on one another?
From hospitals in London and Toronto to clinics in Lagos, Sydney, and New York, stories echo of experienced nurses bullying new hires, gossiping behind closed doors, or subtly sabotaging colleagues they perceive as threats. This horizontal violence — often dismissed as part of the culture or a rite of passage — has devastating consequences. Often, it is emotionally and psychologically damaging and undermines the very foundation of healthcare delivery.
Why Is This Happening?
Several complex and interwoven factors contribute to the internal division among nurses:
- Insecurity and competition: Limited leadership opportunities can create rivalry and turf protection.
- Burnout and compassion fatigue: Long hours, staffing shortages, and high emotional demands make many nurses lash out unintentionally.
- Outdated hierarchies: Some environments cling to archaic structures of dominance rather than promoting collaboration.
- Bias and exclusion: Racism, ageism, and xenophobia still exist within healthcare, often slowing the progression of minority and international nurses.
- Poor leadership: A lack of emotionally intelligent leadership allows toxic cultures to fester.
Similarly, none of these reasons justify cruelty, sabotage, or bullying in a profession whose purpose is healing.
The Price of Division
The effects of division in nursing are far-reaching and often underestimated:
- Worsening Nurse Shortage: Nurses aren’t just leaving due to low pay — they’re leaving due to poor treatment from their peers and a lack of support. This directly impacts global retention rates.
- Patient Suffering: Disconnected or disengaged nurses deliver poorer care. Delays, mistakes, and a lack of empathy lead to worse patient outcomes.
- Waste of Investments: Health systems spend millions on recruiting and onboarding nurses. A toxic environment leads to a loss of investment as Nurses leave their posts.
- Barriers to Diversity and Equity: When minority, immigrant, or returning nurses are not welcome, it prevents diverse voices from rising and weakens the richness of the workforce.
A Call to Action: Nurses Must Lead the Change
To truly heal the world, nurses must first heal themselves and their environments. Unity must start within. The nursing profession must reflect on its values, remember its sacred calling, and return to cultures that lift, not tear down.
Here are the steps nurses and leaders must take:
- Support All Newcomers: Whether a student nurse, an experienced nurse switching specialities, or an international recruit, kindness and guidance must be the standard.
- Speak Up Against Bullying: Every unit should adopt a zero-tolerance policy for workplace hostility and offer safe, confidential reporting structures.
- Be a Mentor, Not a Gatekeeper: Share Your Knowledge. Celebrate others’ growth. Choose encouragement over competition.
- Embody the Profession’s Ethics: Nurses are bound by codes of conduct and ethical principles. Gossip, sabotage, and exclusion violate these core values.
Final Reflection: A Profession Worth Protecting
Nursing is more than charts, shifts, and procedures — it is a sacred trust. Every time a nurse walks into a room, they carry the potential to ease pain, to offer dignity, and to change lives. Similarly, how can this be done wholeheartedly when the internal environment is cold, critical, or hostile?
In addition, this is not just about workplace politics — it is about the future of global health.
Similarly, every act of kindness among nurses strengthens the entire profession. Moreover, every toxic interaction weakens it.
As the world ages and health demands grow, the power of a united nursing force will be the defining factor in whether healthcare systems thrive or collapse. The time for change is now — not in policy alone, but in personal choices. In how we speak to the newly assigned professional nurse, adjusting to a new unit. In how we welcome the new graduate or the foreign-trained nurse stepping into unfamiliar systems. In how we lead with grace rather than ego.
A Personal Note from the Author
As a nurse with nearly two decades of experience across continents and specialities, I have seen both the beauty and the brokenness of this profession. I have been lifted by wonderful mentors, and I have also witnessed the silent struggles of nurses, both newly graduated and highly experienced, being bullied, excluded, or made to feel unwelcome simply because they were new to a team.
This message is not from a place of blame, but of hope. We can do better. And we must — for each other, and for those who trust us with their lives.
Let us rise above division, let us remember our oath and choose kindness, empathy, and unity every single day.
