Management of Nursing Workplace Incivility in the Health Care Settings: A Systematic Review

Workplace Health Saf. 2018 Aug;66(8):403-410. doi: 10.1177/2165079918771106. Epub 2018 May 24.

Abstract

Workplace incivility is a well-documented issue in nursing in the health care setting. It has the potential to cause emotional and physical distress in victims and potentially affects the quality of care provided. The purpose of this study was to critique and summarize the most recent, available evidence related to interventions in assisting nursing staff working in health care settings in managing incivility. This systematic review of literature yielded 10 studies meeting the criteria. The studies were mostly identified as lower quality research. Despite the lower quality of research, the collection of evidence suggests the use of a combination of educational training about workplace incivility, training about effective responses to uncivil workplace behaviors, and active learning activities to practice newly learned communication skills, in assisting nurses in improving their ability to manage incivility in the workplace.

Keywords: application of evidence; incivility; leadership; management; mental health; nursing; research; workplace violence.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Systematic Review

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological*
  • Humans
  • Incivility / prevention & control*
  • Interprofessional Relations*
  • Nursing Staff / psychology*
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic