The Relationship Between Workplace Bullying and Positive Mental Health Among Registered Nurses

Nursing students' experience of bullying and/or harassment during clinical placement

PROBLEM OR BACKGROUND

Bullying is a recognised problem in nursing. Nursing students are particularly vulnerable. Bullying and harassment of nursing students can be detrimental to both students and recipients of care.

AIM

This study aims to identify the incidence and nature of bullying and/or harassment experienced by nursing students in Sri Lanka.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey consisting of eight demographic questions and 15 items specific to the experience of bullying and harassment was administered to nursing students online.

FINDINGS

A total of 656 students from 26 nursing education institutions in Sri Lanka participated. The majority were female with a mean age of 24.4 years. More than a quarter of respondents reported that they had experienced bullying and/or harassment while on clinical placement, with a further 16.7 % being unsure. Most bullying or harassment (55 %) occurred in hospitals with 29 % experienced in community settings. Registered nurses, including nurse managers and clinical facilitators were the most common perpetrators. Verbal abuse was the most frequent type of behaviour reported.

DISCUSSION

These findings support existing literature that indicates that bullying of nursing students is an international phenomenon. The context of this study provides clues as to how culture may influence the problem. There is a need to better understand bullying and harassment in the environments in which it occurs, in order to identify strategies that can bridge cultures and settings.

CONCLUSION

The incidence of bullying and harassment of nursing students in Sri Lanka is concerning. Further research is needed to identify and evaluate targeted strategies to help prevent negative outcomes in all nursing contexts.

Prevalence of Cyberbullying Perpetration and Cyberbullying Victimization among Nursing Students in Jordan

Introduction

Cyberbullying is a form of bullying or harassment carried out online with the intent to harm others mainly using social media sites.

Objective

To investigate cyberbullying prevalence and associated factors among nursing students in Jordan.

Methods

A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted. A convenience sample of 428 Jordanian nursing students from three private Jordanian universities was involved in the study. Data were collected in 2022 using the sociodemographic characteristics sheet, cyberbullying perpetration (CBP) scale; and cyberbullying victimization (CBV) scale. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to identify variables associated with the CBP and CBV scores.

Results

About 30.1% of the students were not involved in any cyberbullying, while 8.6% were categorized as cyberbullying perpetrators only, 20.4% as victims only, and 40.9% were categorized as cyberbullying perpetrators and victims at the same time. Visual /sexual perpetration and verbal/written victimization were the most prevalent forms of cyberbullying among the studied nursing students. Increasing age was associated with a decreased CBP (P < 0.05) and CBV (P < 0.01), while male gender was associated with increased cyberbullying perpetration (P < 0.01).

Conclusions

The prevalence of cyberbullying among nursing students in the current study was alarming. The study showed that age was negatively associated with CBP and CBV while being male was associated with increased CBP. Future research may want to consider using a longitudinal research design with more testing variables and a more comprehensive examination of potential causes and impacts of cyberbullying in nursing students. The development of specific policies to combat cyberbullying among Jordanian nursing students is also recommended.

Authentic Leadership and Its Role in Registered Nurses' Mental Health and Experiences of Workplace Bullying

Introduction

Bullying is a widespread problem in healthcare organizations, resulting in nurses' poor mental health. Effective leadership, such as authentic leadership, may help to overcome this problem.

Objective

To examine the relationship between authentic leadership, workplace bullying, and nurses' mental health, controlling for demographic characteristics.

Methods

A descriptive correlational design was utilized with a sample of 170 nurses. Nurses were recruited from four private hospitals in Jordan and completed a survey about their perception of managers' authentic leadership, their experience of workplace bullying, and their mental health.

Results

About 48.8%, 25.9%, and 25.3% were categorized as "not bullied," "occasionally bullied," and "severely bullied," respectively. Participant nurses had mild depression (m = 12.11) and moderate anxiety (m = 10.92). Workplace bullying was higher among nurses who earn less than 600 Jordanian dinars and nurses working in the smallest hospital, with 130 beds. Authentic leadership explains 6% of the variance of workplace bullying, 3% of anxiety, 7% of stress, and 7% of depression above and beyond the variance explained by other variables.

Conclusions

Healthcare organizations are facing a challenge in providing a healthy work environment. Employing authentic leadership in the workplace could be one of the factors that could help in addressing this issue.

Psychological Reactions of Lebanese Nurses to Workplace Violence in Critical Care Units

Introduction

Workplace violence (WPV) is a growing concern that constitutes a major threat to occupational health and safety, thereby comprising a priority issue for policymakers. Given the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and comorbidities among the Lebanese population, nurses working in critical care settings encounter intense workloads and high-risk interactions, potentially increasing the risk of WPV.

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate the traumatic and psychological reactions of Lebanese critical nurses who have been exposed to WPV, and the risk factors for depression and anxiety.

Methods

The study utilized a cross-sectional descriptive correlational design; 112 critical care nurses from diverse departments took part in this study during the period of June to July 2021.

Results

A positive, significant correlation between WPV exposure and self-reported anxiety was observed, p = .03 with high levels of WPV, especially among patients and their families. Although verbal abuse was found to be more prevalent among critical care nurses in Lebanon compared to physical and sexual violence, the severity of the situation and its impact on the nurses' mental health and well-being cannot be ignored.

Conclusions

WPV for critical care nurses is a serious issue that needs to be considered. Policy-makers should develop the politics of regulating the nursing profession, especially for critical care nurses in Lebanon.

How Daily Obstacles Affect Frontline Healthcare Professionals’ Mental Health during Omicron: A Daily Diary Study of Handwashing Behavior

Based on coping theory, the current research examines how and why COVID-19 phobia affects frontline healthcare professionals’ mental health, as well as their burnout and work-related stress. We focused on the mediating role of burnout and work-related stress in this study. In the current study, we also examined the moderating influence of healthcare professionals’ handwashing behavior using the Hayes Process model. We employed a daily diary approach to collect data from respondents in Pakistan’s frontline healthcare professionals (n = 79, 79 × 10 = 790) who were directly treating COVID-19 patients during the omicron wave. According to the findings of the study, COVID-19 phobia significantly disturbs healthcare professionals’ mental health, as well as significantly strengthens burnout and work-related stress. The findings also demonstrated that burnout significantly negatively influences mental health. The mediation influence of burnout and work-related stress in the association between COVID-19 phobia and mental health has shown to be significant. The moderation analysis revealed that high handwashing behavior significantly buffers the negative impact of COVID-19 phobia, as well as the adverse effect of burnout on healthcare professionals’ mental health. Moreover, our findings have theoretical and managerial implications, as well as new research directions for scholars to understand the adverse impact of daily obstacles on professionals’ (nurses and doctors, etc.) mental health and work performance, as well as issues based on resource conversation philosophy.

Impact of work demand constraints on psychological distress through workplace bullying and personality traits: A moderated-mediation model

Introduction

This study addressed the human aspects of sustainable development in organizations by applying work demand resource theory and the main focus of the study is to investigate the negative aspects of workplace bullying on human's mental health. This study investigated how the work demand constraints play a role in increasing psychological distress among employees through the mediation of workplace bullying. This study also considers personality traits that play a role in preventing psychological distress resulting from workplace bullying.

Methods

The authors collected data by means of a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire was distributed among 1000 employees selected using a systematic sampling technique, patronized among three service sectors: the health sector, education sector, and forest department in the city of Lahore in Pakistan. The data was analyzed by employing Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) using Smart PLS 3.3.3.

Results

Results of this study reveal that work demand constraints (WDC) play a significant role in workplace bullying and impact increasing psychological distress. Personality traits play a moderating role between work demand constraints and workplace bullying behavior on the one hand and psychological distress on the other hand; however, openness to experiences was found to have a moderating relationship between work demand constraints and workplace bullying. Meanwhile, agreeableness and openness to experiences were found to have a moderating relationship between work demand constraints (WDC) and psychological distress.

Discussion

This study also has practical implications for employers, such as providing psychological counseling, personality development training at the workplace etc. The relationship of work demand constraints with psychological distress and workplace bullying through direct and indirect moderating effects of personality traits in Pakistan's service sector are unique contributions of this study.

Tipos de violência no trabalho da enfermagem na Estratégia Saúde da Família

Resumo Objetivo analisar a ocorrência dos diferentes tipos de violência no trabalho da Enfermagem na Estratégia Saúde da Família e as implicações dos aspectos laborais e do trabalhador. Método estudo misto, explanatório, sequencial, com 169 trabalhadores de Enfermagem da Estratégia Saúde da Família. Como instrumentos de coleta de dados, foram utilizados o Survey Questionnaire Workplace Violence in the Health Sector e a entrevista semiestruturada. Resultados foram encontrados episódios de agressão verbal com melhores médias na avaliação sobre o reconhecimento e os relacionamentos no trabalho e o maior uso de medicamentos. O assédio moral foi associado à cor da pele branca dos participantes, ao cargo de enfermeiro; apresentaram-se avaliações mais negativas acerca do reconhecimento laboral e dos relacionamentos interpessoais e uma maior preocupação com a violência. Já o assédio sexual relacionou-se ao cargo de técnico/auxiliar de Enfermagem e pela ausência de estímulo para os relatos de violência. A discriminação racial foi associada à cor da pele parda/negra e à redução da satisfação laboral. Conclusão e implicações para a prática a análise dos fatores que se associam aos tipos específicos de violência permite melhor determinar medidas e políticas institucionais que minimizem os atos violentos contra os trabalhadores de Enfermagem.

Workplace bullying in the nursing profession: A cross-cultural scoping review

BACKGROUND

Globally, nurses are at high risk of exposure to workplace bullying, and there is a growing body of literature addressing bullying in the nursing profession. Yet, our understanding of cross-cultural variations in bullying among nurses is lacking. An analysis of what is currently known about bullying in different parts of the world is critical for our understanding of cross-cultural effects of bullying among nurses.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to examine workplace bullying research among nurses with the focus on sources, antecedents, outcomes and coping responses from a cross-cultural perspective during the years 2001-2019.

DESIGN

This is a scoping review of published literature on workplace bullying among nurses.

DATA SOURCES

A literature search was conducted using the CINAHL, PubMed, PsychINFO and Web of Science databases. A total of 166 articles provided data from the following cultural clusters: Anglo, Latin Europe, Eastern Europe, Nordic Europe, Middle East, Latin America, Confucian Asia, Southern Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

PROCEDURE

Studies were identified through a database search. Relevant data were extracted using a narrative approach. Categories were thematically organized according to the study topics. Cultural differences regarding the variation in the perceptions of and responses to bullying were analysed in relation to the cultural dimensions: power distance, assertiveness, in-group collectivism and performance orientation.

RESULTS

Research was mostly conducted in the Anglo cluster. Antecedents and outcomes of bullying were the most often studied topics across all cultural clusters. Vertical bullying was most prevalent in higher power distance cultures, whereas horizontal bullying was either more or equally prevalent in lower power distance cultures. The risk of bullying decreased as nurses' length of service and age increased in most of the clusters. Individual antecedents were more frequently reported in high in-group collectivist cultures. Organizational antecedents such as lack of bullying prevention measures, unsupportive leadership and stressful work characteristics were frequently reported across different cultural clusters. Yet, an organizational culture that tolerates bullying was most commonly addressed in Anglo, a highly performance-oriented culture. Negative outcomes of bullying were very similar across the world. Nurses used emotion-focused coping strategies more frequently almost in all clusters; yet, there were reports of problem-focused coping strategies especially in relatively higher assertiveness cultures.

CONCLUSIONS

Analysis revealed both similarities and differences in the nurses' reports of bullying by world region. Cultural factors were found to be important for understanding the variation in the nurses' perceptions of and responses to bullying.