Abstract
Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of bullying workshops offered to Southern California Registered Nurses within an integrated healthcare delivery system to mitigate bullying and improve work environment.
Background: Bullying is an aggressive, repetitive undesirable behavior that is a common problem in many disciplines including nursing. This was a follow up study on the “Assessment of bullying among nurses in Southern California” research that was conducted in 2020. Previous study revealed that registered nurses (RNs) experienced bullying or incivility and many considered leaving their positions.
Methods: An intervention mixed method study was conducted with 148 RNs. Participants from inpatient and ambulatory areas attended one of the two bullying workshops offered in 2024 and 2025. The sessions included evidence-based strategies, role-play exercises, and tailored tools to address disruptive behaviors and cultivate respectful team dynamics. these workshops aimed to improve communication, resilience, well-being, and turnover. “Creating a Healthy Work Environment Gap Assessment Tool” was used for data collection via Survey Monkey. Descriptive, correlation, and inferential statistics were employed to answer research questions.
Results: Of the sample, 85% participated in the pre-intervention survey and 32% in the post. Following are the significant results reported at p=.05. Confidence in addressing abusive behaviors with nurses t(167)=-3.197, interprofessional teams t(167)=-3.617, and patients/family t(167)=-3.442; describing attributes of a healthy team t(167)=-2.100; and confidence in describing strategies to improve wellbeing t(167)=-2.220. Current job negative effect on wellbeing mean score decreased by .48 from prior to post intervention. Frequency of thinking to: transfer to other unit within same facility mean score decreased by .45, transfer to another facility within the organization decreased by .66, and transfer to external organization also decreased by .68 pre and post intervention.
Conclusion and Implications: Bullying workshops can improve nurses’ confidence in addressing abusive behaviors across peers, interprofessional, and patient/family contexts, strengthen understanding of healthy team attributes, improve well-being, and reduce turnover. Results can only be generalized to the participants. Nurse leaders can integrate evidence-based bullying interventions into onboarding and annual education to improve the work environment.
Notes
References: Jeong, Y., Jung, H. S., & Baek, E. M. (2024). Effectiveness of cognitive rehearsal programs for the prevention of workplace bullying among hospital nurses: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Public Health, 24(1568). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-18969-x
Luca, C. E., Sartorio, A., Bonetti, L., & Bianchi, M. (2024). Interventions for preventing and resolving bullying in nursing: A scoping review. Healthcare, 12(2), 280. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12020280
Sigma Membership
Omicron Delta, Zeta Mu at-Large
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Mixed/Multi Method Research
Keywords:
lncivility, Mentoring and Coaching, Workforce, Bullying, Bullying--Prevention and Control, Role Playing, Registered Nurses, California
Recommended Citation
Timple, Veronica Santos and Kawar, Lina Najib, "Impact of Bullying Workshops Among Southern California Registered Nurses" (2026). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 83.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2026/presentations_2026/83
Conference Name
37th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Conference Year
2026
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-07-28
Impact of Bullying Workshops Among Southern California Registered Nurses
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of bullying workshops offered to Southern California Registered Nurses within an integrated healthcare delivery system to mitigate bullying and improve work environment.
Background: Bullying is an aggressive, repetitive undesirable behavior that is a common problem in many disciplines including nursing. This was a follow up study on the “Assessment of bullying among nurses in Southern California” research that was conducted in 2020. Previous study revealed that registered nurses (RNs) experienced bullying or incivility and many considered leaving their positions.
Methods: An intervention mixed method study was conducted with 148 RNs. Participants from inpatient and ambulatory areas attended one of the two bullying workshops offered in 2024 and 2025. The sessions included evidence-based strategies, role-play exercises, and tailored tools to address disruptive behaviors and cultivate respectful team dynamics. these workshops aimed to improve communication, resilience, well-being, and turnover. “Creating a Healthy Work Environment Gap Assessment Tool” was used for data collection via Survey Monkey. Descriptive, correlation, and inferential statistics were employed to answer research questions.
Results: Of the sample, 85% participated in the pre-intervention survey and 32% in the post. Following are the significant results reported at p=.05. Confidence in addressing abusive behaviors with nurses t(167)=-3.197, interprofessional teams t(167)=-3.617, and patients/family t(167)=-3.442; describing attributes of a healthy team t(167)=-2.100; and confidence in describing strategies to improve wellbeing t(167)=-2.220. Current job negative effect on wellbeing mean score decreased by .48 from prior to post intervention. Frequency of thinking to: transfer to other unit within same facility mean score decreased by .45, transfer to another facility within the organization decreased by .66, and transfer to external organization also decreased by .68 pre and post intervention.
Conclusion and Implications: Bullying workshops can improve nurses’ confidence in addressing abusive behaviors across peers, interprofessional, and patient/family contexts, strengthen understanding of healthy team attributes, improve well-being, and reduce turnover. Results can only be generalized to the participants. Nurse leaders can integrate evidence-based bullying interventions into onboarding and annual education to improve the work environment.
Description
Bullying undermines nurses’ well-being, retention, and patient outcomes. This was a mixed method pre/post study on bullying workshop at an integrated healthcare system. Measures included confidence in addressing abuse, perceptions of healthy teams, and intent to leave. Confidence and team clarity improved, while turnover trended down. Feasible, low-cost bullying workshops may improve culture and foster a healthier work environment.