Uncovering degrees of workplace bullying: a comparison of Baccalaureate nursing students' experiences during clinical placement in Australia and the UK.

Abstract

Background: Bullying in health workplaces has a negative impact on individual nurses, their families, multidisciplinary teams, patient care and the profession. Aim: This paper compares the experiences of bully and harassment of Australian and UK baccalaureate nursing students during clinical placement. Method: A secondary analysis was conducted on two primary cross-sectional studies of bullying experiences of Australian and UK nursing students. Data were collected using the SEBDCP questionnaire and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The total sample consisted of 833 Australian and 561 UK students Results: Australian nursing students experienced a higher rate of bullying (50.1%) than UK students (35.5%). Across both cohorts (Aust 53%, UK 68%). students identified other nurses as the main perpetrators and few bullied students chose to report the episode/s (Aust 28.5%, UK 19.4%). The main reason given for not reporting was fear of being victimised (Aust 53.6%, UK 54.5%). Sadly, a number felt ‘it is part of the job’ (UK: 21.6%, Aust: 23.9%). Conclusions: It is clear that a culture of bullying in nursing persists internationally. Nursing students are vulnerable and often experience and/or witness bullying episodes during clinical placement, leading them to question their future in the ‘caring’ profession of nursing. Bullying behaviour requires a zero tolerance by the nursing profession and education providers need to develop clear policies and implement procedures that protect students as the future nursing workforce.