Keywords

bullying, employment, horizontal violence, nursing, oppressed group behavior

 

Authors

  1. Hutchinson, Marie MHSc, Grad Dip HA, BapSci (Nsg), RN, RM
  2. Jackson, Debra PhD, BHSc (Nsg), RN
  3. Wilkes, Lesley PhD, MHP Ed, BSc, Grad Dip, RN
  4. Vickers, Margaret H. PhD, MBA, Bbus

Abstract

Providing a safe work environment where nurses can practice without fear or threat of aggression is acknowledged as a critical global issue for healthcare organizations. Although there has been growing recognition that workplace bullying is one of the most concerning forms of aggression experienced by nurses, to date, there has been little progress in developing explanatory models. In this article, we outline our recently validated model of bullying, which specifies organizational characteristics as critical antecedents. The model has important implications for the management of bullying, identifying that to be effective, interventions need to address features of workplace climate.