Consequences and coping strategies of nurses and registered nurses perceiving to work in an environment characterized by workplace bullying

Daniela Acquadro Maran; Gianmarco Giacomini; Alessandro Scacchi; Roberta Bigarella; Nicola Magnavita; Maria Michela Gianino

doi:10.1016/j.dialog.2024.100174

Consequences and coping strategies of nurses and registered nurses perceiving to work in an environment characterized by workplace bullying

Dialogues Health. 2024 Feb 24:4:100174. doi: 10.1016/j.dialog.2024.100174. eCollection 2024 Jun.

Authors

Daniela Acquadro Maran¹, Gianmarco Giacomini², Alessandro Scacchi², Roberta Bigarella³, Nicola Magnavita⁴, Maria Michela Gianino⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, Università di Torino, Torino, Italy.
² Department of Sciences of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Turin, Torino, Italy.
³ Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Torino, Italy.
⁴ Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
⁵ Department of Sciences of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Turin, Piazza Polonia, 94, Torino (I) 10126.

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to analyze the well-being and coping strategies of nurses working in an organizational setting perceived as characterized by workplace bullying. The innovative aspect of this study is that we considered only those who perceive to work in an organizational environment characterized by workplace bullying, and not those who see themselves as victims and those who perceive they work in an organizational environment not characterized by workplace bullying.

Method: A questionnaire with the NAQ-R, PGWBI, Val.Mob. and Brief COPE scales was administered to nurses. To better understand this phenomenon, a comparison was made between 331 nurses and 166 workers in other professions who also work in an organizational environment perceived to be characterized by workplace bullying.

Results: In both groups (nurses and workers), the results were approximately the same in terms of personal bullying and workplace bullying episodes and the number of physical and emotive symptoms. The PGWBI score was lower for nurses than for workers in other fields. Among the individual symptoms, nurses and registered nurses were more likely to report gastritis, insomnia and heartburn than workers in other contexts. Workers in other contexts were more likely than nurses to report symptoms of anxiety, fear, feelings of insecurity, inferiority and guilt. In terms of coping strategies, nurses were more likely than other workers to report distraction, substance use, emotional support, disengagement, venting, positive reframing, humor, and religion. Workers in other professional context were more likely than nurses to report active coping, denial, instrumental support, planning, acceptance, and self-blame.

Conclusion: Results suggest that the consequences of working in a perceived organizational environment characterized by workplace bullying are similar for both groups of workers, with nonstatistical differences in perceived workplace bullying episodes and sum of physical and emotive symptoms.

Implication: Overall, findings suggest that workplace bullying prevention is a fundamental element in training workers in all types of workplaces and should be an integral part of curriculum activities.

Keywords: Bullying in workplace; Coping strategies; Occupational risk; Well-being; Witness.