Health professionals are often seen as the epitome of compassion and care, making it easy to assume they would be ideal colleagues. However, this assumption is starkly challenged by Brenda Happell, Professor of Mental Health at Southern Cross University. Drawing from her personal experiences, Professor Happell sheds light on the dark reality of workplace bullying within the health sector in her new book, Sickness in Health: Bullying in Nursing and Other Health Professions.
Professor Happell, who enjoyed a long and successful career as a mental health nurse, ultimately made the heart-wrenching decision to leave the profession she loved. The relentless bullying she endured took a severe toll on her physical and mental well-being, forcing her to prioritize her health over her career.
“It broke my heart leaving when and how I did. I simply couldn’t take it anymore. I had to go. I felt like my life depended on it,” she recalls.
With over 40 years of experience in healthcare and academia, Professor Happell quickly realized that the psychological scars of bullying don’t vanish upon exiting a toxic work environment. Healing required her to confront and understand the trauma she experienced.
Her book emerged from a deep-seated determination to raise awareness about the pervasive issue of workplace bullying. Recognizing she wasn’t alone, Professor Happell sought out fellow health professionals—spanning medicine, nursing, social work, psychology, and more—who had endured similar ordeals. These 12 individuals, whom she refers to as “champions,” bravely shared their harrowing stories.
“These 12 people, whom I call champions, shared so much with me. It was distressing to hear what happened to them and is still happening to some. Lives and relationships had been destroyed. How can health professionals behave this way? It still baffles me to this day,” Professor Happell remarked.
The book delves into more than just statistics; it offers a raw, human perspective on how bullying can derail careers and devastate lives. Both Professor Happell and her champions lost their passion for their professions, their confidence in their abilities, and, in many cases, their belief in themselves. Some were forced to leave their jobs or retire early to escape the torment.
“I loved my jobs. I loved the work, the variety, and the autonomy. The decision to leave was always hard and meant saying goodbye to much that was satisfying,” Professor Happell recounts in her book.
Jordan, a former nurse academic and one of the champions, echoed these sentiments: “Work is such an essential part of what I do and who I am that it just isn’t an option to coast along, only do what I have to and keep quiet in the background.”
Understanding workplace bullying is far from simple. Contrary to the stereotypical image of a bully as someone who yells and belittles, many bullies employ more subtle tactics. These include micromanagement, shifting expectations, undermining colleagues, withholding resources, and imposing unreasonable work demands—methods that are often harder to detect.
Taylor, a mental health peer worker and another of Happell’s champions, reflects on the insidious nature of these behaviors: “You can see the obvious, prepare and take note of it, but it’s what you can’t see coming that will sideswipe you. That frightens me more.”
Through these accounts, Professor Happell had ample time to reflect on the broader implications of workplace bullying in the health sector.
“Why does bullying at such a scale continue? Surely there are structures in place where it can be addressed and resolved. Unfortunately, this is not the case and certainly wasn’t for the champions,” Professor Happell notes.
Her book stands as a poignant reminder that the very people tasked with caring for others often face deep, unresolved issues within their own ranks. It calls for urgent attention to the hidden epidemic of workplace bullying in the health professions—a problem that continues to destroy lives and careers, despite the caring nature of the profession.