A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis of Studies on Workplace Bullying among Nurses

Abstract

This study aimed to further understand and compare the phenomenon of workplace bullying (WPB) among clinical nurses in various sociocultural contexts. The study sought to determine appropriate interventions, examining how said interventions should be delivered at individual, work-unit, and institutional levels. Qualitative meta-synthesis was chosen to achieve the study aims. Individual qualitative research findings were gathered, compared, and summarized using the thematic analysis suggested by Braun and Clark. Based on the predefined analytic points, the findings included the following themes: horizontal yet vertical violence, direct and indirect violence on victims, nurses feed on their own, accepting and condoning WPB embedded in ineffective work systems, and rippling over the entire organization. The results showed that the phenomenon of workplace bullying shares quite a few attributes across cultures in terms of the characteristics, types, perpetrators, subjects, and consequences. The findings suggest that interventions to change and improve organizational work culture must be developed and implemented.

Evaluation and improvement of workplace vertical violence of nursing interns based on the Importance-Performance Analysis method

“…Adequate staffing can prevent students from becoming overburdened, and enable them to receive guidance when needed. Therefore, we should actively protect the number of nursing staff, improve the working environment, and solve the problems of nursing staff allocation, supply and demand, and turnover caused by a shortage of nurses and poor working conditions, which are important causes of vertical violence in the workplaces of nursing interns ( 37 ). Senior nurses, who are likely to be sources of vertical violence among nursing interns, should be educated on the subject.…”

Perceptions and experiences of female nurses when confronted with expressing a conscientious objection towards end-of-life care in Greece

“…Furthermore, bullying in the workplace emerged as a substantial barrier to nurses expressing moral objections. Workplace gossip, criticism or even rejection threatens nurses’ psychological well-being and perhaps their careers [ 35 ]. This may occur in addition to the fact that sensitive nurses may experience compassion fatigue, empathetic distress, or moral distress due to themselves being constrained from openly expressing their moral concerns about medical procedures in which they have to participate.…”

Perceptions and Experiences of Nurses When Confronted With Expressing a Conscientious Objection Towards End-of-Life Care in Greece

“…Furthermore, bullying in the workplace emerged as a substantial barrier to nurses expressing moral objections. Workplace gossip, criticism or even rejection threatens nurses' psychological well-being and perhaps their careers [33]. This may occur in addition to the fact that sensitive nurses may experience compassion fatigue, empathetic distress, or moral distress due to themselves being constrained from openly expressing their moral concerns about medical procedures in which they have to participate.…”