Impact of bullying on nursing outcomes

Running head: DIFFERENT APPROACHES FOR NURSING LEADERS TO DEAL WITH
BULLYING
DIFFERENT APPROACHES FOR NURSING LEADERS TO DEAL WITH BULLYING
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DIFFERENT APPROACHES FOR NURSING LEADERS TO DEAL WITH
BULLYING
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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Impact of bullying on nursing outcomes....................................................................................2
Professional standards of practice to prevent bullying..............................................................3
Role of Nursing leaders in combatting Bullying........................................................................5
Approaches to promote anti-bullying activities.........................................................................5
Additional Aspects required to ensure professionalism in Health care settings........................6
A Relevant and Compliant leadership style...............................................................................7
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................8
References..................................................................................................................................9

DIFFERENT APPROACHES FOR NURSING LEADERS TO DEAL WITH
BULLYING
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Introduction
Bullying is an occurrence that may arise in any workplace, irrespective of profession
and genders, and is always associated with severe consequences. All types of abuse, neglect,
violent treatments, including verbal or non-verbal threats, intimidating behavior, and
humiliation that may harm an individual’s mental and physical wellbeing, can be considered
as acts of bullying. Nurses are often subjected to these behaviors within their workplace by
their superiors, peers, subordinates, and even patients. They are more exposed to be victims
of bullying than any other type of health professionals, with female nurses being the most
vulnerable. Incidents of bullying can effectively disturb the harmony of the workplace and
good organizational relationships by causing distress to the nurse. In light of this, the purpose
of the report is to elucidate the effects of bullying on nursing outcomes and highlight the role
of nursing leaders in the prevention of such incidents through different approaches.
Impact of bullying on nursing outcomes
From a cross-sectional survey, the impact of bullying on registered nurses was
reported. Finding from the study suggested that the origin of bullying had a much greater
effect on the nurses than the frequency of the events. For example, results indicated that
incidences of lying were more in number from physicians and other care workers than from
the supervisors and patients(Blackwood et al.,2017). However, the bullying caused by the
latter seemed to have a more significant impact on the nurses’ productivity. Thus, it is crucial
to accurately detect the sources of bullying to develop bullying free work environments.
Several cross-sectional studies have examined the effects of workplace bullying in the
nursing profession, out of which impaired patient safety and reduced quality of care happen
to be indirect results of such bullying incidents.(Bowllan 2015) Significant concerns that
affect the nursing outcomes are lack of job motivation and reduced energy levels that may

DIFFERENT APPROACHES FOR NURSING LEADERS TO DEAL WITH
BULLYING
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lead to hampered work enthusiasm and commitment. A positive correlation has also been
found between bullied nurses and their compromised mental health status, where most of
them are exposed to depression and anxiety-like symptoms. Such conditions can profoundly
influence the job performance of nurses, increasing the possibility for them to commit errors
in daily operations(Gnastra, 2015). The events ensued in many areas of patient care, such as
perioperative care, medical divisions, and emergency departments. All of these events were
promptly followed by technical and care-related errors and procedural complications.
Bullying incidents may pose a threat to patient safety through subversive ways with indirect
consequences that affect the overall quality of healthcare. By disrupting teamwork,
obstructing communication between caregivers, delaying treatment initiation, or inducing
medical errors, bullying ultimately affects the appropriate nursing outcomes meant to ensure
patient’s health and best possible care.
Professional standards of practice to prevent bullying
In an attempt to curb bullying practices and behaviors, all healthcare personnel needs to
maintain and adhere to specific professional codes of conduct that are implemented to
prevent mistreatment and violence towards nurses.(Houck & Colbert, 2017) Such standards
include:
 Zero tolerance of violence and abuse towards nurses must be ensured
 Nurses and employers must cooperate to maintain a culture of respect
 Implementation of evidence-based approaches that prevent and mitigate coarseness,
bullying, and workplace violence, which in turn can promote patient safety, care, and
nursing outcomes. For Instance, the Zero tolerance Technique, as well as D.E.S.C
(Describe-Express-Suggest-Consequences), are being advocated and administered by