Student perceptions of incivility in nursing education: implications for educators

This study explored the phenomenon of incivility in nursing education from the perspective of undergraduate nursing students and compared it to perspectives of educators as found in the literature. The sample consisted of 24 undergraduate junior and senior nursing students from four universities in the mid-Atlantic states. Data from four focus groups were transcribed and content analyzed to reveal themes and subthemes. Students perceived that incivility in nursing education exists. They shared a common view with findings in the literature regarding incivility from the faculty perspective. Notably, an emerging student view was that faculty may contribute to the escalating incivility in nursing education, and that student incivility is justified when faculty are seen as uncivil. The implications for educators, consistent with the literature, are that students want professors to maintain classroom decorum and set the example for civility.