Date of Award

Spring 2025

Document Type

DNP Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Department

Nursing

Committee Chairperson

Cheryl Schlamb, DNP, CRNP

Committee Member

Jacquelyn Owens, DNP, CRNP, FNP-BC

Abstract

Nurse leaders play a vital role in creating, sustaining, and ensuring a culture of civility along with a healthy work environment for both staff and patients. A challenge nurse leaders face today is the prevalence of bullying and incivility that continues to grow within the nursing profession and has detrimental effects on nursing staff, patient satisfaction, and healthcare organizations. Bullying and incivility can have disastrous effects on the mental, emotional, physical, and professional lives of those victimized by such behavior. When a culture of incivility is prevalent, patients suffer as secondary victims; patient safety and patient satisfaction are compromised. Organizations are not immune to the consequences of unhealthy work environments. Turnover and job satisfaction are negatively affected when bullying and incivility are left unchecked by leadership.

Many nurse leaders lack formal training in recognizing, addressing, and holding staff accountable for bullying and uncivil behaviors. As the bullying epidemic intensifies, it is crucial to arm nurse leaders with the tools necessary to cultivate civility and sustain healthy work environments. This QI project focused on structured training for nurse leaders to improve their ability and confidence in preventing bullying and incivility. Effective management of bullying will cultivate a professional environment of respect, leading to improved patient satisfaction and a sustained culture of civility.

Keywords utilized: workplace bullying in nursing and prevention; workplace bullying in nursing and leadership; nurse leader and bullying; bullying or workplace bullying or incivility and nurses and prevention; nurse leader and incivility.

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