Examining the Influence of Workplace Incivility on Nurses’ Patient Safety Competence

Abstract

Purpose This study assessed clinical nurses’ workplace incivility experiences and determined the effects of workplace incivility experiences on nurses’ patient safety competence. Design This quantitative study surveyed 261 clinical nurses in two acute healthcare facilities in Saudi Arabia from June to August 2019. Methods A self‐administered survey, including the Nurse Incivility Scale and the Health Professional Education in Patient Safety Survey, was employed to assess the variables workplace incivility and patient safety competence. The association between incivility and patient safety competence was analysed using multivariate multiple regression. Results The highest mean score was recorded for patient or visitor incivility, whereas the lowest score was recorded for supervisor incivility. Regarding patient safety competence, the dimension “communicating effectively” received the highest mean score, whereas “working in teams with other health professionals” was rated lowest. General and nurse incivilities had multivariate effects on the six dimensions of patient safety competence. Conclusions Nurses’ experiences of uncivil acts from nurses and from general incivility negatively impact nurses’ patient safety competence. Clinical Relevance This investigation could guide the establishment of policies centered on boosting the patient safety competence of nurses by addressing uncivil acts in healthcare settings.

Incivility Is Associated with Burnout and Reduced Compassion Satisfaction: A Mixed-Method Study to Identify Causes of Burnout among Oncology Clinical Research Coordinators

“…At times, CRCs' roles in advocating for patients, patients-turnedresearch-participants, and research may conflict, and coordinators must balance these roles within a large interprofessional team [46]. Previous research indicates that health care team relationships are critical to patient outcomes, and team relationship quality predicts patient mortality rates [47], treatment adherence [48], and patient safety [49]. Our data indicate that coordinators generally find support among their CRC colleagues.…”

Impact of unacceptable behaviour between healthcare workers on clinical performance and patient outcomes: a systematic review

“…These found significant associations between unacceptable behaviour and the perceived frequency of errors,30 adverse events (such as medication errors, nosocomial infections and falls29 44) and near misses or negative outcomes 45. Three studies found either direct23 46 or indirect47 associations between the frequency of unacceptable behaviour and patient safety culture of their workplace, while a fourth study48 demonstrated an association with individual HCW safety competence.…”

Relationship Between Workplace Incivility and the Professional Quality of Life in Nurses

“…The American Nurses Association de nes incivility as "one or more rude, discourteous, or disrespectful actions that may or may not have a negative intent behind them" [7]. These behaviors include sarcastic remarks, grinning, contemptuous tone of voice, hostile looks, interrupting others, shouting, spreading rumors, taking advantage of others' attempts and achievements, and ignoring authority and identity in front of colleagues [8,9].…”

“…Incivility in the nursing profession can have signi cant consequences for nurses, patients, and health care organizations [14]. Nurses who are affected by such behaviors in their work environment may experience psychological and physiological distress [7] and problems such as low self-esteem, anxiety, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and depression [15]. Such behaviors can also lead to reduced quality of patient care, poor health outcomes in patients, increased medication errors [16], organizational con icts, burnout, increased job stress, deciding to quit nursing, declined organizational commitments, and weaker work performance [16,17].…”

“…Such behaviors can also lead to reduced quality of patient care, poor health outcomes in patients, increased medication errors [16], organizational con icts, burnout, increased job stress, deciding to quit nursing, declined organizational commitments, and weaker work performance [16,17]. Reviewing existing studies and evidence con rms that the experience of incivility in the workplace can affect the quality of the professional life of nurses [1,7,18]. However, more studies are required in different areas [1].…”