FNA fights bullying | ‘No wonder our nurses leave for better work environment’

The Fiji Nursing Association will no longer tolerate bullying and horizontal violence directed at their members.

The association’s president, Dr Alisi Vudiniabola, said they have received numerous reports in the past where members were bullied not only by their leaders in the nursing profession, but also by other health professionals.

“We have discussed it with the mediation team, permanent secretary, and team from the Ministry of Health,” said Dr Vudiniabola.

“The PS has been very good at addressing it, but the problem is the very same members who reported the matter get bullied again.

‘They have been bullied for reporting things to FNA.

“Some leaders don’t want members to report to us (FNA) their problems like unpaid overtime.”

Dr Vudiniabola said there have been instances where nurses were bullied into taking calls for their doctors who are legally required and remunerated to provide service for their rural populations.

“No wonder our nurses leave for better work environment.

“They will leave because of bad leadership.

“You know those things are reported to us after they’ve escalated through their own structure, and when there’s no positive result from the ministry, they send it to us.

“We advise our members to first use their communication line, if it is not sorted there, then they should report to FNA.

“We don’t address things if they come to us first instead of their leaders.”

She said they have decided to monitor this very ‘disgusting’ behavior of nurse leaders and doctors, and they would not hesitate to take further legal action.

“This is probably the best way to enforce the need to respect our members,” said Dr Vudiniabola.

“And to ensure their work environment is safe for them to deliver the exceptional nursing care that our people deserve.”