The impact of horizontal violence on the individual nurse: A qualitative research study

Horizontal violence (HV) is a familiar term used in nursing. Certain populations of nurses are more susceptible to HV than others. Graduate nurses (nurses within their first 12 months of practice) are widely considered a vulnerable population in the profession and thus more at risk for HV. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how HV affects graduate nurses (GNs).

Inductive thematic analysis was used in the design of this study.

Participants included eight Canadian GNs or Registered Nurses (RNs), all of whom had experience with HV in their first 12 months of practice. Data collection was done via one-on-one interviews.

Two main themes were revealed from the data collected - Toxic Nursing Culture and Fear. Several subthemes were also identified - cycle of violence, nurses eating their young, shame, drowning, isolation and vulnerability. The findings indicate that HV is prevalent in the first year of practice and is destructive to the mental health of the individual nurse. Horizontal violence poses a serious challenge for GNs entering nursing and is often touted as the reason new nurses leave the profession altogether.

This study highlighted the personal and professional challenges that are heightened for a GN when they experience HV in their first year of practice. These experiences emphasize the impact that HV can have on the mental health of nurses and their ability to deliver safe patient care.