LATERAL VIOLENCE IN THE NURSING PROFESSION.

VOLUME 46 | NUMBER 3 | May/JUNE 2023 Lateral violence is an under-rated issue having a highly negative impact in nursing and the healthcare industry. Lateral violence is an act of aggression that is perpetrated by a nurse(s) against another nurse that may include behaviors such as undermining or withholding information, verbal abuse, sabotage or scapegoating, backstabbing, or physical abuse. Lateral violence creates a hostile work environment resulting in lower productivity, increased absenteeism, low morale, increased turnover, loss of profits, and increased healthcare costs, which are all ultimately detrimental to patient safety. Lateral violence has historically been tolerated as the status quo of nursing, jokingly referred to as nurses “eating their young.”