Objective: To explore how workplace bullying is addressed by hospital nursing unit managers and organizational policies.
Background: Although workplace bullying is costly to organizations, nurses report that managers do not consistently address the issue.
Methods: This study used discourse analysis to analyze interview data and policy documents.
Results: There were differences in the manner in which managers and the policy documents labeled bullying-type behaviors and discussed the roles and responsibilities of staff and managers. Policies did not clearly delineate how managers should respond to workplace bullying.
Conclusions: These differences can allow management variation, not sanctioned by policy. Unclear policy language can also offer insufficient guidance to managers, resulting in differential enforcement of policies.