The Issue of Incivility in Nursing

Subject: Nursing
Pages: 2
Words: 397
Reading time:
2 min
Study level: College

Introduction

In their careers, nurses have to face certain professional issues associated with the field. One of the problems that medical workers might witness is incivility occurring in hospitals or clinics. Such behavior can be caused by patients due to stress, but sometimes incivility can happen in nurse-to-nurse communications. Incivility directly negatively affects the workplace environment and can sometimes cause physical violence or verbal abuse. This essay will discuss the potential implications of incivility and why it is crucial to research this issue.

The Implications of Incivility

It is important to understand the reasons for rude behavior as it might become the source of further challenges for both nurses and patients. According to Black (2017), “incivility in nursing is manifested as bullying between colleagues and between faculty and students in academic settings” (p. 327). Such behavior is associated with decreased job satisfaction and burnout, both of which negatively impact nursing experiences (National Council of State Boards of Nursing, 2018). These threatening situations may influence professionals to leave their job or the medical profession (National Council of State Boards of Nursing, 2018). All of the aspects outlined, in turn, cause professionals.

The Importance of Studying Incivility

Caring is a primary concern of nursing, and the goal of a medical worker is to provide attention to the patients and their needs. This is the reason why it is important to address the issue of incivility. According to Black (2017), nurses should practise self-care by identifying threatening situations of being victimized and subsequently tackling such circumstances. Healthcare professionals should not feel the need to stay in an abusive environment. Transferring to a different institution can be one of the solutions for this situation (Black, 2017). This does not solve the problem; however, it can limit the number of such negative occurrences. The issue of incivility is common and dangerous, which is why it should be thoroughly studied in nursing research.

Conclusion

The problem of incivility manifested through rudeness and bullying should be researched, as it is a common concern that can lead to stress caused to workers and patients. At times it can lead to such detrimental outcomes as verbal or physical abuse. The effective ways of tackling the problem should be the purpose of nursing studies, as ignoring the challenge can negatively influence the workplace environment. Furthermore, incivility opposes the primary concern of nursing, which is caring for humans.

References

Black, B. P. (2017). Professional nursing: Concepts & challenges. Maryland Heights, MO: Elsevier/Saunders.

National Council of State Boards of Nursing. (2018). The nursing regulatory environment in 2018: Issues and challenges. Journal of Nursing Regulation, 9(1), 52-67. Web.