Bullying against Healthcare Professionals and Coping Strategies: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Occupational Health Psychology
• Workplace Violence Research

Background:

• Violence against healthcare professionals is a significant issue impacting their daily work and well-being.
• Workplace bullying is a prevalent form of violence experienced by healthcare staff.
• Effective coping strategies are crucial for mitigating the stress associated with workplace violence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the phenomenon of violence against healthcare professionals.
• To examine the relationship between workplace bullying and coping strategies in healthcare settings.
• To identify common bullying behaviors and their impact on professionals.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review methodology was employed.
• Searched three electronic databases: EBSCO, PubMed, and Web of Science.
• Analyzed eight selected articles from a total of 276 identified studies.

Main Results:

• Common bullying behaviors include excessive workloads, humiliation, ridicule, impossible deadlines, and verbal attacks.
• Negative impacts reported by professionals encompass helplessness, depression, stress, insomnia, and job dissatisfaction.
• Victims frequently consider leaving their jobs or the profession.

Conclusions:

• Workplace bullying significantly affects healthcare professionals' physical and mental health, and quality of work life.
• Problem-focused coping strategies are predominantly utilized by affected professionals.
• Further research and preventive measures are essential to address and combat workplace bullying in healthcare.