Abstract
BackgroundBullying among nurses is a universally recognized problem that has important consequences for nurses, patients and health institutions. This research was conducted with the aim of studying the relationship between role conflict, negative affect and core self-evaluations with bullying in nurses.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, 329 nurses were selected by census method. Data were collected using PANAS Scale (negative affect), role conflict questionnaire, Core Self-Evaluations Scale (CSES), and the Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised (NAQ-R). Data were analyzed using t-test, one way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis with SPSS software (v. 22).ResultsThe results showed that there is a significant difference between the mean bullying scores in according to gender and ward of affiliation. The influence of other variables (marital status, education level, years of experience, age group and work position) was not meaningful. Pearson correlation analysis results indicated that there is a significant positive relationship between role conflict (r = 0.47) and negative affect (r = 0.56) with bullying. Also there is a significant negative relationship between core self-evaluations and bullying (r = − 0.39). Moreover, regression analysis results revealed that negative affect, role conflict and gender can predict 44% of bullying variance significantly.ConclusionsBased on these findings, core self-evaluations, negative affect and role conflict are good factors in predicting bullying among nurses. Consequently, hiring nurses with low negative affect and high core self-evaluations, improving nurses’ self-esteem and self-efficacy and changing workplace conditions in order to reducing role conflict can be useful in reducing workplace bullying.
Highlights
Bullying among nurses is a universally recognized problem that has important consequences for nurses, patients and health institutions
The results further indicate that 82.2% of the participants participated as a nurse
This study examined the relationship between demographic variables, role conflict, negative affect and core self-evaluations with bullying
Summary
Bullying among nurses is a universally recognized problem that has important consequences for nurses, patients and health institutions. Workplace bullying occurs when an employee (i.e. the target) is exposed to negative behaviors in the long run against which one feels unable to defend oneself [2] These negative behaviors may be of a personal (e.g. excessive criticism of personal characteristics, gossip and social deprivation), as well as a work-related nature (e.g. constant belittlement of one’s achievements and unreasonable expectations) or physical intimidation (e.g. aggressive comments and invasion of one’s privacy) [3]. Workplace bullying can increase stress and decrease job satisfaction in spectator colleagues [8] These consequences can have important repercussions for health care organizations and the quality of care they provide, as they can reduce the number of human forces at nursing and impose additional and considerable costs in terms of staff replacement and recruitment. These consequences reduce RNs’ ability to concentrate, and increase the risks of clinical mistakes and may reduce the safety of patients and the quality of the care they receive [7]
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