The phenomenon of workplace bullying among nurses

Abstract

Introduction The problem of workplace bullying, which carries several pathologies, is becoming a more and more common phenomenon in the work environment. Regardless of the form of aggression or its causes in the workplace, it always significantly affects the employee, causing a number of consequences, ranging from health and psychological to social and professional. The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of workplace bullying among nurses. Material & methods: The study involved 120 nurses, including 110 women and 10 men. The survey was conducted anonymously, with the consent of the respondents. A proprietary questionnaire was used as the research tool and the NAQ questionnaire was used to assess the workplace bullying phenomenon. A diagnostic survey was used as the research method. Results: In the studied group, the presence of workplace bullying was found in more than half of the nursing staff (54.2%), so it occurred more often than it was absent, but no statistically significant differences were found between the number of respondents affected or not by workplace bullying (p=0.180), it was therefore found that this problem was as common as its absence. Moreover, it was shown that among the respondents with the shortest work experience, workplace bullying was the least frequent. Conclusions: Workplace bullying among nursing staff is a common phenomenon, while respondents with longer work experience are more exposed to these activities. Workplace bullying activities are rarely applied to people with higher education, but to a greater extent they are related to the competences, and therefore directed at work, rather than at the private sphere.