Citation

Harb A, Rayan A, Al Khashashneh OZ. J. Am. Psychiatr. Nurs. Assoc. 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Osama Zuhair Al.khashashneh, MSN, Jordan University Hospital, Amman, Jordan.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, American Psychiatric Nurses Association, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1078390319877223

PMID

31578903

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Workplace bullying is a highly prevalent occupational burden in health care settings. It is associated with various negative consequences in nurses, but its unique relationship with nurses' positive mental health (PMH) has yet to be established. AIM: The purpose of this study was to examine the unique relationship between bullying at the workplace and positive mental health among registered nurses. METHOD: A descriptive, correlational, and cross-sectional design was used. A sample of 231 registered nurses was recruited from two governmental hospitals, two private hospitals, and two teaching hospitals. Self-reported data were obtained about nurses' demographic variables, their experience of bullying at the workplace, and their perceived positive mental health. RESULTS: About 73.6% of the participants were exposed to workplace bullying. Regarding the positive mental health subscales, the spirituality subscale had the highest mean score (M = 4.93, SD = 1.11), while the global affect had the lowest mean score (M = 3.55, SD = 1.17). Factors associated with the total PMH or at least one of its subscales were gender, experience, working shift, type of hospital, and the position of the participant. There was a significant negative relationship between bullying at the workplace and positive mental health (r = -.16, p <.05). After controlling participants' characteristics, workplace bullying accounted for significant variance in PMH. CONCLUSION: Regardless of the nurses' characteristics, bullying at the workplace has a negative impact on nurses' mental health and well-being.

Language: en

Keywords

nurses; positive mental health; workplace bullying