Co-dependency in the workplace

Co-dependency has become a familiar term in recent years. No only do mental health professionals encounter the phenomenon, but with the bestseller status of Co-Dependent No More (Beattie 1987), more and more laypersons have begun to identify co-dependent individuals among family members and friends. Community health nurse managers may encounter this problem in clients as well as in other nurses. Of particular concern to the community health nurse manager is co-dependency among nurses on the staff. Co-dependency exhibited by nurses can have a negative effect on group morale and team spirit in a community health setting. This article defines co-dependency and presents guidelines for responding to it in community health nurses.