A qualitative systematic review on nurses’ experiences of workplace bullying and implications for nursing practice

Abstract

Workplace bullying within the nursing community is a global problem, which has spanned decades; it has detrimental effects on nurses and affects patient outcomes (Hartin et al., 2020;Trépanier et al., 2016). Several studies have revealed that nurses face greater risk of workplace bullying than other professions because of the nature of their job which involves high levels of human interaction daily (Waschgler et al., 2013). Furthermore, the stressful work environment contributes to an even higher probability of interpersonal conflicts among the healthcare team which in turn leads to bullying (Zapf et al., 2003). Workplace bullying is strongly associated with nurses' turnover intentions; this is a critical issue faced by nursing organizations worldwide as they are currently working on retaining nurses (Giorgi et al., 2016;Laschinger, 2012; World Health Organization, 2014). It is estimated that there will be a worldwide shortage of nurses and midwives, exceeding nine million by 2030, if the retention rates do not improve (World Health Organization, 2016). Extensive research has been conducted over the years to determine factors contributing to bullying and develop strategies to retain nurses to overcome the global nursing shortage. | BackgroundBullying is described as having intentions to threaten or harm others and is a disruptive behaviour, which often involves the abuse of power (Lewis-Pierre et al., 2019). In the workplace, bullying may also be known as horizontal violence, lateral violence or incivility; this involves persistent exposure to aggression, mistreatment and disrespect from subordinates, colleagues or superiors

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Bullying and Sexual and Racial Harassment in Healthcare Workers: A Cross-Sectional Study in Italy

“…An appropriate investigation is mandatory, as is protection for those who report abuses. There must be space for a system, forums and safe space for open communication between employers and healthcare workers for follow-up regarding harassment or bullying within the healthcare organization [ 25 , 26 ].…”

A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis of Studies on Workplace Bullying among Nurses

“…These results are consistent with those of many previous studies. For example, Shorey and Wong [ 15 ] reported that WPB negatively affects nurses’ physical and mental health; in addition, when a nurse becomes a target of WPB, their productivity and creativity decrease [ 15 , 16 ]. WPB’s adverse effect extended over patient safety [ 17 ] by decreasing the nurses’ competencies and quality of care, ultimately hindering the organization’s development [ 1 , 18 , 19 , 20 ].…”

Intervention types and their effects on workplace bullying among nurses: A systematic review

“…The victims of workplace bullying exhibited varying responses to the event. Some surrendered to the bullying culture and displayed intention to leave, whereas others coped with, adapted to and even combated the bullying (Shorey & Wong, 2021). Furthermore, Kang and Yun (2016) reported that coping with the workplace bullying experience occurs through a four-phase process.…”

“…The American Nurses Association (2015) published a new statement on workplace bullying, in which it presented recommendations for primary, secondary and tertiary interventions for individual nurses and emphasized the organizations' responsibility to establish a zero‐tolerance policy towards incivility and bullying. Some essential measures include implementing and reinforcing a nursing code of ethics, implementing anti‐bullying policies within organizations and developing continuous management strategies (Shorey & Wong, 2021). Further, the Joint Commission (2021) announced an updated version of the Sentinel Event Alert that incorporates new workplace violence standards (effective as of January 2022).…”