Abstract
Abstract
Background: Nurse-to-nurse bullying is a critical issue within the nursing profession, impacting close to half of all nurses. This phenomenon, articulated by the phrase "nurses eat their young," detrimentally influences employee retention, job satisfaction, morale, and ultimately, patient care. Furthermore, nurse-to-nurse bullying significantly affects the well-being of nursing professionals, particularly targeting novice nurses. This targeting raises substantial concerns regarding their retention, as many consider leaving the profession within their initial years of practice due to experiences of bullying. The educational intervention project titled “Speak Now with the Courage to Confront” is designed to mitigate bullying among novice nurses through a quality improvement (QI) initiative. This project aims to assess the experiences of novice nurses and their confidence in addressing bullying before and after participating in a three-part educational training program, which emphasizes the recognition and confrontation of bullying behaviors through cognitive-behavioral techniques.
Methods: The QI project involved twelve newly licensed nurses in their first nursing role, participating in a transition-to-practice (TTP) program. These participants completed pre- and post-Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised (NAQ-R) assessments to evaluate their perceptions of being bullied. Additionally, the post-NAQ-R assessment included an evaluation of the perceived benefits stemming from the educational intervention. The educational program encompassed three parts, addressing the types and effects of nurse-to-nurse bullying and providing strategies for responding to instances of bullying behavior. Participants engaged in cognitive rehearsal through practical scenarios utilizing scripted responses. They were given two months to practice these skills within their professional environment.
Results: An analysis of the pre- and post-NAQ-R questionnaires was conducted alongside the post-evaluation of the educational effectiveness. Statistical data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon test, while the perceived effectiveness of the educational intervention was also assessed. The overwhelming majority of TTP nurses regarded both the educational program and the techniques instructed as beneficial.
Conclusion: The findings indicate participants perceived an increase in the confidence and preparedness of nurses to confront bullying behaviors, thereby cultivating a more positive workplace culture. The long-term implications of these outcomes suggest a potential shift in the cultural acceptance of bullying behaviors, facilitating a healthier workforce and improved patient care outcomes.
Language
English
Document Type
Scholarly Project
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Level of Degree
Doctoral
Department Name
College of Nursing
Keywords
nurse-to-nurse bullying, cognitive rehearsal, bullying education and interventions
Recommended Citation
Gomez, Dominique Desiree. "Speak Now with the Courage to Confront: An Educational Intervention to Address Bullying." (2025). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/dnp/53