Current status of bullying in nursing education among clinical trainees and their attitude and practice

This study aimed to examine the current status of bullying in nursing education among clinical trainees and to assess their attitudes and practices towards such bullying.

This cross-sectional study was conducted among clinical trainees from 9 Colleges/universities between January and March 2024, using a self-designed, structured questionnaires.

Out of the initial 1550 distributed questionnaires, 1457 were deemed valid for analysis. Among the respondents, 1290 (88.54 %) were female. Additionally, 362 respondents (24.85 %) reported experiencing high levels of mental stress and confusion. The mean scores for bullying status, attitudes, and practices were 13.99 ± 13.26 (possible range: 0-64), 45.95 ± 11.43 (possible range: 12-60), and 59.86 ± 17.81 (possible range: 22-110), respectively. The mediation analysis indicated that bullying status directly affected attitude (β = -0.403, P = 0.012). Bullying status (β = -0.146, P = 0.010), attitude (β = -0.305, P = 0.016), current state of mind (β = 0.095, P = 0.006), and get training on educational bullying (β = -0.088, P = 0.015) directly affected practice. Additionally, bullying status has an indirect effect on practice through attitude (β = 0.123, P = 0.018).

Despite experiencing low-intensity bullying with significant psychological effects, clinical trainees exhibited positive attitudes and moderate practices towards addressing bullying in nursing education. These findings highlight the need for targeted anti-bullying training programs, the establishment of mentorship systems, and the implementation of institutional policies to foster a supportive and inclusive learning environment, mitigate psychological stress, and enhance trainees' educational experiences.