Workplace Bullying and Its Relational Consequences Among Nurses: A Qualitative Study

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Psychology
• Sociology

Background:

• Workplace bullying in nursing is a known issue.
• Its effects on nurses' family life are not well understood.
• This study uses spillover-crossover and Conservation of Resources (COR) frameworks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how nurses experience workplace bullying.
• To understand how these experiences affect their family relationships.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews.
• 13 nurses in Türkiye who experienced bullying were interviewed.
• Data analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Main Results:

• Three themes emerged: Institutionalised Workplace Hostility, Psychological Harm and Emotional Depletion, and Relational Consequences in Family Life.
• Bullying led to emotional exhaustion and reduced well-being.
• Experiences spilled over into family life, causing withdrawal and communication issues.
• Stress affected partners, altering family roles; spousal support offered some buffer.

Conclusions:

• Workplace bullying significantly impacts nurses' family relationships and well-being.
• Findings highlight the need to address workplace bullying for nurses' mental health and care quality.
• Interventions should consider the family context of nurses' experiences.