Nurse educators’ experiences with student incivility: a meta-synthesis of qualitative studies

This study aimed to synthesize the best available qualitative research evidence on nurse educators’ experiences with student incivility in undergraduate nursing classrooms. A meta-synthesis of qualitative evidence using thematic synthesis was conducted. A systematic search was performed of 12 databases for relevant literature published by March 31, 2019. Two reviewers independently conducted critical quality appraisals using the checklist for qualitative research developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Eleven studies that met the inclusion criteria were selected for review. From the pooled study findings, 26 descriptive themes were generated and categorized into the following 5 analytical themes: (1) factors contributing to student incivility, (2) management of student incivility, (3) impact: professional and personal damage, (4) impact: professional growth, and (5) initiatives for the future. Many nurse educators became confident in their role of providing accountability as both educators and gatekeepers and experienced professional growth. However, others experienced damage to their personal and professional life and lost their motivation to teach. Nurse educators recommended the following strategies for preventing or better managing student incivility: institutional efforts by the university, unified approaches for student incivility within a nursing program, a faculty-to-faculty network for mentoring, and better teaching and learning strategies for individual educators. These strategies would help all nurse educators experience professional growth by successfully preventing and managing student incivility.