Workplace bullying and turnover intentions among male nurses in Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study

Turnover among healthcare workers, such as nurses, is an important challenge in the healthcare sector, particularly in developing countries like Bangladesh. Even with the growing level of concern, there is very limited evidence of understanding the association between workplace bullying (WPB) and nurses' turnover intention (TI). Male nurses are a minority in the workplace, and in particular, may face unique societal and workplace challenges in Bangladesh. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the association between WPB and TI as well as identify the factors associated with TI among male nurses in Bangladesh.

In Bangladesh, we conducted a cross-sectional study among nurses between February 2021 and July 2021, and data from 379 registered male nurses were analyzed. The study sites included indoor or outdoor healthcare services. We used the Short Negative Acts Questionnaire-9 to measure WPB and the Turnover Intention Scale-6 to measure TI. We performed a multiple linear regression model to investigate the association between WPB and TI adjusted for the potential covariates.

The mean age of the participants was 27 years. Our study found a statistically significant positive association between WPB and TI. Nurses' educational level, smoking status, job types, professional titles, timely payment, and training against violence were also significantly associated with TI. Age, residence, monthly income, accommodation facilities, sufficient equipment, and rewards were not significantly associated with TI.

This study found a significant positive association between WPB and TI, and numerous factors were associated with TI among registered male nurses in Bangladesh. Our study emphasizes the need for focused interventions to reduce WPB among male nurses in Bangladesh.