“It is Essentially About Treating Each Other Well”: Insights from Faculty on Incivility in Nursing Education

Abstract

Study background Incivility in nursing educational institutions, which may be perpetrated by both students and faculty, is troubling given that such institutions have a mandate to prepare students for caring, relational nursing practice. Purpose The purpose of this study was to contribute to understanding nursing academic incivility through an examination of nursing faculty's perspectives on student and faculty incivility. Methods The study was conducted using a mixed methods, descriptive, survey design with collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data. The sample consisted of 52 faculty members. Results A large majority of faculty thought that incivility in the nursing academic environment is a problem, with most considering it to be a mild or moderate problem. Students acted unprofessionally by showing disrespect, displaying superiority, engaging in disruptive behaviors, or not taking responsibility for their role in their learning. Faculty acted unprofessionally by showing disrespect, displaying superiority, or not being supportive. Faculty perceived that stress, personality, failure to deal with incivility, and an attitude of entitlement contributed to incivility. They thought that educational interventions, policies, and an academic environment that is conducive to civility are needed to address the problem. Conclusion Until evidence is available to support the effectiveness of interventions for academic incivility, nursing educational institutions are encouraged to implement strategies suggested by faculty in this study.