Workplace psychological harassment in Canadian nurses: a descriptive study
Sarah-Geneviève Trépanier1, Claude Fernet, Stéphanie Austin
1Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Canada. sarah-genevieve.trepanier@uqtr.ca
Journal of Health Psychology
|May 1, 2012
Summary
Workplace psychological harassment negatively impacts nurses
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Psychology
- Nursing Studies
Background:
- Workplace psychological harassment is a recognized occupational hazard.
- Nurses are a vulnerable population susceptible to workplace stressors.
- Understanding the impact of negative behaviors is crucial for nurse well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate workplace psychological harassment among Canadian nurses.
- To assess the relationship between exposure to negative behaviors and perceived victimization.
- To examine the impact of these experiences on nurses' psychological health and work functioning.
Main Methods:
- Descriptive study design.
- Survey of 1179 Canadian nurses.
- Utilized two assessment types: exposure to negative behaviors and perceived victimization.
Main Results:
- Exposure to negative behaviors was linked to job status and overtime.
- Nurses experiencing negative behaviors reported lower psychological health and work functioning.
- Few nurses perceived negative behaviors as explicit psychological harassment, yet negative impacts persisted.
Conclusions:
- Exposure to negative behaviors, irrespective of perceived victimization, detrimentally affects nurses' psychological health.
- Interventions should address exposure to negative behaviors to improve nurse well-being and work performance.
- Findings highlight the need for supportive workplace environments in nursing.
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