In their own words: Nurses countering workplace incivility

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Management
• Organizational Psychology

Background:

• Workplace incivility, encompassing behaviors like bullying and hostility, is a recognized issue affecting healthcare professionals.
• The negative effects of such behaviors on Registered Nurses (RNs) are well-documented in literature and social media.
• These detrimental actions can profoundly impact the personal and professional well-being of RNs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To qualitatively examine the extent of distress caused by workplace incivility within the healthcare environment.
• To capture RNs' perceptions and descriptions of the damaging impact of incivility.
• To gather RNs' insights on potential interventions to prevent or mitigate uncivil behaviors.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative research approach was employed.
• Interviews were conducted with Registered Nurses to gather their experiences and perceptions.
• Data analysis focused on understanding the scope of distress and identifying potential solutions.

Main Results:

• The study confirmed the significant distress workplace incivility imposes on RNs.
• RNs provided detailed accounts of how incivility negatively affects their work and personal lives.
• Participants offered valuable insights into effective interventions for managing and preventing uncivil conduct.

Conclusions:

• Workplace incivility poses a serious threat to the well-being of Registered Nurses.
• The findings underscore the need for targeted interventions and support systems for RNs.
• While focused on RNs, the study's conclusions are relevant to other healthcare professions facing similar challenges.