Effects of incivility in clinical practice settings on nursing student burnout

To examine the relationship between nursing students' exposure to various forms of incivility in acute care practice settings and their experience of burnout.

Given that staff nurses and new nurse graduates are experiencing incivility and burnout in the workplace, it is plausible that nursing students share similar experiences in professional practice settings.

A cross-sectional survey design was used to assess Year 4 nursing students' (n=126) perceptions of their experiences of incivility and burnout in the clinical learning environment.

Students completed instruments to assess frequency of uncivil behaviors experienced during the past six months from nursing staff, clinical instructors, and other health professionals in the acute care practice setting and to measure student burnout.

Reported incidences of incivility in the practice setting were related to burnout. Higher rates of incivility, particularly from staff nurses, were associated with higher levels of both components of burnout (emotional exhaustion and cynicism).