Nurses' Workplace Bullying Experiences, Responses, and Ways of Coping

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Sep 26;17(19):7052. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17197052.

Abstract

Workplace bullying is a serious problem that hinders the provision of quality care services by seriously affecting their physical, psychological, and social health status. Workplace bullying experiences refer to verbal and nonverbal harassment, work-related harassment, and external threats. Workplace bullying responses are negative reactions that occur in individuals who have experienced workplace bullying, while coping is the process by which an individual copes with stress. This study aims to analyze the relationship between nurses' workplace bullying experiences, responses, and ways of coping. We studied 113 nurses working in hospitals, analyzed the data using SPSS 25.0. We found that the more positive use of the positive viewpoint, the lower the bullying reaction in the workplace (r = -0.268, p = 0.004). Workplace bullying responses were lower as more positive ways of coping were used (r = -0. 268, p = 0.004). In conclusion, nurses who experience bullying in the workplace should be supported by the hospital organization and within the nursing organization, and a receptive nursing culture should be established. There is also a need for an intervention plan that allows nurses to use positive ways of coping with workplace bullying experiences.

Keywords: bullying; nurse; ways of coping; workplace bullying experiences; workplace bullying response.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological*
  • Adult
  • Anxiety / psychology
  • Bullying / psychology*
  • Bullying / statistics & numerical data
  • Depression / psychology
  • Fear
  • Female
  • Health Status
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Nurses / psychology*
  • Nursing Staff, Hospital / psychology
  • Nursing Staff, Hospital / statistics & numerical data*
  • Stress, Psychological
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Workplace / psychology*