J Korean Acad Nurs.  2013 Aug;43(4):453-467. 10.4040/jkan.2013.43.4.453.

Nurses' Experience of Incivility in General Hospitals

• Kim SY
• Park KO
• Kim JK

• KMID: 1707147
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2013.43.4.453

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was done to describe nurses' experience of incivility in hospitals and to consider nurses' work environment.
METHODS
Data were collected through in-depth interviews and analyzed using Colaizzi' phenomenological analysis methodology. Participants were seven experienced clinical nurses working on a general ward (2 nurses), or in an intensive care unit (2 nurses), emergency room (2 nurses), or operating room (1 nurse).
RESULTS
The incivility that nurses experienced was categorized as follows: 'being afflicted as a weak person', 'being treated as less than a professional', 'being overwhelmed by shock and anger', 'experiencing an untenable situation', 'struggling to survive', and 'pursuing professional growth'.
CONCLUSION
Behavior guidelines should be developed to reduce incivility, and incivility cases should be continuously monitored by the nursing department. Also, to handle incivility problems in clinical nursing areas, a reporting and counseling system and education programs are needed.

Keyword

Nurse; Anger; Hospital

MeSH Terms

Adaptation, Physiological
Adult
Anger
Attitude of Health Personnel
Emergency Medical Services
Female
Hospitals, General
Humans
Intensive Care Units
Interprofessional Relations
Interviews as Topic
Nursing Staff, Hospital/*psychology
Workplace

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