A Scoping Review of Workplace Bullying in Emergency and Intensive Care Settings

To evaluate the prevalence, contributing factors, and outcomes of workplace bullying in critical care settings, for purposes of this study defined as emergency departments and ICUs, and identify practice strategies or research interventions to mitigate workplace bullying in these practice settings.

Workplace bullying among nurses leads to adverse nurse and patient outcomes. Nurses working in critical care settings frequently endure stressors related to life-or-death circumstances. Although other nurses experience stressors, the frequency and intensity of these stressors differ from those experienced by nurses in other practice settings.

Researchers conducted a scoping review to evaluate the depth and breadth of existing research on this topic.

Twenty-two studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. The work environment largely influences bullying among critical-care nurses. Most studies were exploratory/descriptive. Only 2 studies tested an intervention to address bullying.

Future research should focus on developing and testing interventions to reduce workplace bullying and mitigate its effects.