Addressing Workplace Bullying Among Nurses at a Community Hospital

Abstract

Bullying and incivility are forms of workplace violence (WV) that occur frequently in nursing. This violence is costly and detrimental to the nursing profession, healthcare organizations, and patients. Increasing awareness, education and addressing workplace bullying (WB) immediately and consistently deters the violence. This project included an educational intervention based on the American Nurses Association’s (ANA) Code of Ethics (COE) and was designed for staff registered nurses (RN) in non-management roles. The objectives were to measure the RNs’ perceived exposure to WB; and to measure the effectiveness of an online educational intervention on RNs’ awareness of responsibilities in addressing WB. A quasi-experimental design utilizing the Negative Acts Questionnaire Revised (NAQ-R) was used to measure RNs’ perceived exposure to WB. Knowledge of and responsibilities to address these behaviors were assessed and compared in the pre and post-survey. The Michigan Organizational Assessment Questionnaire (MOAQ) was used to measure RNs’ intent to leave their current position. Positive responses were elicited in all questions of the NAQ-R. Knowledge improved after the educational intervention by as much as 63%. The MOAQ revealed that over 40% of participants were likely to leave their current position for a new job within the next year related to WB. Addressing WB is crucial in preserving the integrity of the nursing profession.