Perceptions of Incivility in Nursing Education: A Comparative Analysis of Student and Faculty Perspectives

Incivility in nursing education affects learning, professionalism, and patient safety and may be perceived differently by faculty and students.

The purpose of this study was to identify perceptions of civility and incivility of nursing students and faculty.

An online mixed-methods survey was administered to students and faculty in 3 prelicensure nursing programs within one university.

The learning environment was rated as mostly civil by both students and faculty, with high-level uncivil behaviors being rare. Faculty rated low-level behaviors as more uncivil and more frequent than students ( P < .05). Both groups perceived students engaging in uncivil behaviors more frequently than faculty ( P < .05) and identified role modeling, establishing clear expectations, and education about civility as important strategies.

Results highlight the need for the creation of shared definitions, clear expectations, and strategies to promote civil, respectful, and professional learning environments in nursing education.