A conflicted tribe under pressure: A qualitative study of negative workplace behaviour in nursing.
Natasha Hawkins, Sarah Yeun-Sim Jeong, Tony Smith and 1 others
PMID 36394212WHAT IT FOUND
Nurses in regional hospitals described negative workplace behaviour as a 'rite of passage' where newcomers must prove their worth to join cliques.
Staff reported feeling unsupported by management, leading to avoidance of help-seeking and increased errors, with some nurses retaliating by withholding information.
Key findings
01New nurses described being excluded or bullied until they proved they could handle the workload and fit into existing cliques, viewing this as a 'rite of passage'.
02Negative workplace behaviours led nurses to avoid asking for help, which they reported resulted in more mistakes and put patient safety at risk.
03Staff perceived zero-tolerance policies as unenforced ('a joke') and reported that management often tolerated bullies because they were experienced clinicians or due to staffing shortages.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The study used a small, volunteer convenience sample of 13 nurses from a single region in Australia, limiting generalisability. Participants were all registered nurses; enrolled nurses and assistant nurses were excluded, missing perspectives from other levels of the workforce. Data collection occurred in 2019, before the pandemic significantly altered nursing workloads and stress levels.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that this study proves bullying causes specific patient outcomes like falls or infections. It is a qualitative exploration of nurses' perceptions and experiences. While participants reported that fear of bullying led to errors, this is a self-reported mechanism, not a measured clinical outcome.