Nurses' perceptions of teamwork and workplace bullying
Todd R Logan1, D Michael Malone2
1Department of Arts & Sciences, Holy Family University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Journal of Nursing Management
|January 23, 2018
Summary
Nurses value teamwork for quality patient care. However, workplace bullying persists, though effective team skills may reduce its occurrence, impacting the nursing environment.
Area of Science:
- Nursing
- Healthcare Management
- Organizational Psychology
Background:
- Workplace bullying is a significant issue in healthcare.
- Effective teamwork is crucial for quality patient care.
- Nurses' perceptions of teamwork may influence their experiences with bullying.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between nurses' perceptions of teamwork and workplace bullying.
- To identify team characteristics associated with bullying in nursing environments.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 128 nurses from two hospitals in the northeastern USA.
- Utilized three validated surveys: Attitudes about teamwork, Team characteristics, and Negative intention questionnaire.
Main Results:
- A majority of nurses recognized teamwork's importance for patient care.
- Two-thirds reported positive team elements like leadership, trust, and communication.
- Despite positive perceptions, one-third of nurses experienced bullying, and half witnessed it.
- Effective team skills correlated with reduced workplace bullying incidents.
Conclusions:
- While nurses value teamwork, workplace bullying remains prevalent.
- Enhancing team skills and fostering positive team dynamics may mitigate bullying in nursing.
- Addressing bullying is essential for a healthier nursing work environment.
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