The Prevalence and The Relationship of Workplace Bullying and Nurses Turnover Intentions: A Cross Sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Sustaining a healthy work environment is a major challenge for health care organizations worldwide. Nursing professionals are often exposed to workplace bullying, which imposes serious challenges to nursing retention. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of workplace bullying and turnover intention among nurses, and to investigate the relationship between workplace bullying and nurse turnover. Methods: A cross-sectional correlational design. Convenience sampling was applied, whereby 347 nurses working in a tertiary medical city in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, were recruited. Data were collected using the Negative Acts Questionnaire and the Anticipated Turnover Scale. Results: The rate of workplace bullying was high, bullying occurred at a cumulative rate of 33.4% ( n = 116). Work related bullying behaviors formed the most common bullying acts with (34.5%) followed by personal bullying with (31.1%) meanwhile physical intimidating accounted by (25.6%). Among the participants, 31.7% exhibited a high turnover intention. The demographic variable age was revealing an inverse correlation with workplace bullying. There was a positive significant correlation between workplace bullying and turnover intentions ( r = .24, p < 0.01). Conclusion: The alarming prevalence of both bullying and turnover intention among participants confirms that when nurses are exposed to workplace bullying, they are more likely to demonstrate an increased intention for turnover. Managers are urged to use proper enforcement of anti-bullying policies along with education and training to create a healthy environment and mitigate workplace bullying.

Bullying experience and the work environment in nurses: A cross‐sectional data analysis

“…This is an alarming rate, especially considering that exposure to workplace bullying is closely related to negative nurse outcomes such as work disengagement and burnout (Sauer, 2018; Serafin et al, 2022). According to the American Nurses Association (ANA) COVID‐19 impact assessment (2022), 66% of the nurses reported an increase in bullying at work during the pandemic and suggested that deteriorating work conditions during the pandemic were related to increased bullying (al Muharraq et al, 2022; Clegg, 1993; Huntington & Gilmour, 2001; Hutchinson et al, 2006).…”

“…Bullying may then become invisible or go unrecognized and may be reinforced further, if the target views the bullying as a legitimate form of discipline or feels they are deserving of the treatment. In these cases, victimized nurses can remain silent and passive toward their bullying experience and might then repeat the bullying toward others (al Muharraq et al, 2022). Similarly, Roberts (1994) explained that nurses, as an oppressed group with limited power, repeatedly bully each other to release their aggressive energy and perceived inability to resist the oppressor.…”

Insights from Theory of Reason Action to Determine the Faculty Turn-Over Intentions in HEI’s of Southern Punjab: Mediating and Moderating Role of Perceived Organizational Justice and Organizational Climate

“…Review of historical and recent studies showed workplace bullying as one of the key determinants of turnover intention. Al Muharraq et al (2022) conducted that there was a strong correlation between bullying in the workplace and employees' intentions to leave their jobs in Saudi Arabia's health sector. Additionally, recent research has shown that workplace bullying is a significant contributor to employee turnover (Coetzee & van Dyk, 2018;Öcel & Aydın, 2012).…”

Association of Workplace Bullying with Suicide Ideation and Attempt Among Chinese Nurses During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Furthermore, bullying has generally been deemed as a type of psychological rather than physical violence and is categorized into four types: isolation from work, attack on professional status, attack on personality, and direct negative behaviors (Dilek & Aytolan, 2008 ). It is crucial to note that workplace bullying is associated with a range of adverse outcomes for nurses, such as leaving a job and experiencing psychological problems (Bambi et al, 2019 ; Al Muharraq et al, 2022 ). However, few studies have examined whether and how workplace bullying could increase suicide ideation and attempts among nurses.…”