Clarifying social undermining in nursing: a concept analysis

Social undermining is a subtle and covert form of negative interpersonal behavior that can disrupt professional relationships, undermine self-confidence, and negatively influence nursing practice. Despite its relevance, this concept has not been systematically clarified within the nursing literature.

This study employed Walker and Avant's eight-step concept analysis method to clarify the meaning and dimensions of social undermining in nursing. A comprehensive review of English and Persian literature published between 2000 and 2025 was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Scientific Information Database.

The analysis identified social undermining as an intentional, covert, and repetitive process characterized by subtle behaviors that progressively erode professional trust and collaboration. Key antecedents included individual factors such as perceived competition and interpersonal insecurity, as well as organizational conditions such as workload pressure, perceived injustice, and inadequate managerial support. The consequences extended from emotional exhaustion and reduced job satisfaction at the individual level to disrupted teamwork, increased turnover intention, and potential risks to care processes at the organizational level. Social undermining was conceptually distinguished from incivility and bullying by its indirect nature, cumulative impact, and reliance on concealed behaviors rather than overt aggression.

Social undermining represents a distinct and significant challenge in nursing work environments. Clarifying this concept provides a foundation for developing nursing-specific assessment tools and targeted organizational strategies aimed at fostering psychologically safe and supportive workplace cultures.