Incivility and Student and Faculty Relationships: Implications for Revising Mentorship Programs for Nurse Educators

Abstract

Negative relationships between students and educators are faculty becoming a focus in higher education, this is due in part to the impact on student learning [1,2]. Emerging evidence also reveals that these poor relationships in academic environments are often the cause of educator attrition, [3,4] and nurse educators who experience these deteriorating relationships have an increased likelihood of leaving their employment or nursing altogether [5][6][7][8]. In order to better understand student and nurse educator relationships (commonly referred in the literature as student and faculty incivility), research was examined to determine how and why ineffective interactions occur using an integrative review method [9]. All the studies portrayed incivility as a multifaceted complex problem in student and faculty relationships with psychological and sociological foundations, but few offered tangible strategies for resolution. The purpose of this study was to utilize identified themes prevalent in the literature to develop a set of strategies that can be used in designing mentorship programs, and to improve interactions between students and nurse educators in both the classroom and clinical settings. Evidence-based strategies need to be implemented that foster positive relationships between students and educators to reduce the devastating effects of these disruptive behaviors. Nurse educators have the responsibility to provide an environment for learning that optimizes learner success. USA, personal experience in the assimilation of learning, cooperate effectively, and achieve higher levels of mastery of content and critical thinking skills [17,18].Effective teaching is an expression of personal and professional values which inform faculty behaviors and the interactions with adult learners that educators bring with them when teaching in their classrooms [19]. "Effective teaching is as much about the relationship as it is about technical proficiency" [19]. Teaching behaviors and interactions impact how students perceive their classroom and clinical experiences [4]. MethodsThe purpose of this investigation was to explore the historic evolution of research that included the keywords: student incivility, student and faculty relationships, and mentorship programs. The scope of the research was limited to studies from the last 15 years that primarily focused on higher education rather than practice settings, and excluded research that addressed bullying, and workplace mobbing. The analysis revealed consistent themes that were utilized to develop strategies to incorporate into existing mentorship programs to support new nurse educators entering the academic environment.

The impact of bullying on the mental health and academic achievement of nursing students

“…Furthermore, discrepancies between student and faculty perceptions of bullying can make it difficult for faculty members to recognize bullying and understand their victims. Therefore, it is essential to conduct studies on teacher perceptions of those who are bullied, those who bully, and the associated risk factors 20,42 . Moreover, Qutishat 14 and Seibel and Fehr 2 identified the factors that increase bullying tendencies among faculty members: A lack of effective communication skills, an inability to manage detected cases of bullying, and a lack of essential skills such as the ability to provide feedback in a nonthreatening manner.…”

“They can crush you”: Nursing students’ experiences of bullying and the role of faculty

“…While some literature suggests that upward or subordinate bullying is on the rise, [9,59] the sense that students are vulnerable simply by being in the learning role remains the dominant view. This puts the onus on faculty members to create safe and inviting learning environments, whether in the classroom or at clinical sites.…”

“…This puts the onus on faculty members to create safe and inviting learning environments, whether in the classroom or at clinical sites. Diekelman (as cited in Beck [59] ) found that "students were so overwhelmed by all the things they needed to know in their nursing education that it was challenging for them to have a meaningful relationship with faculty that focused on learning" (p. 3). Acknowledging this reality, faculty need to continually be student-centered; bring the focus back to learning, alleviate student anxieties, and acknowledge positive student choices and decision-making.…”

Nurse Educators’ Experiences Regarding Subject Competence at a Nursing College

“…The use of power by educators to cover up subject incompetence by acting in an aloof manner, not answering thought-provoking questions, discouraging critical discussions, using ineffective didactic facilitation skills and sending a message that learners are a burden, disturbs learners (Beck, 2015). This goes against the grain of good teaching where learners are treated with dignity and where mutual respect and appropriate boundaries are observed (Gibson et al, 2013;Knepp, 2012).…”

“…This goes against the grain of good teaching where learners are treated with dignity and where mutual respect and appropriate boundaries are observed (Gibson et al, 2013;Knepp, 2012). The inappropriate behaviour that nurse educators display due to job dissatisfaction and their failure to cope because they have inadequate subject KSE hinders the construction of a trusting, mutually respectful learner-nurse educator relationship that is vital for meaningful learning (Beck, 2015;Du Plessis et al, 2015).…”