Abstract
To alleviate the fear of “nurses eating their young” and impede disruptive behaviors, incivility, and bullying in the workplace, newly graduate nurse residents (NGNRs) learn strategies to promote a civil work environment upon hire into the Nurse Residency Program (NRP). Setting the expectation of acceptable workplace behaviors early in their nursing careers empowers NGNRs to advocate for and exhibit professional conduct fostering civility in the workplace. The necessity to provide NGNRs the resources to deflect detrimental attitudes in patient care areas was essential to ensure safe patient care and outcomes. During role transition discussions, NGNRs expressed insecurity, distress, and high anxiety due to working with colleagues quick to place blame, complain, or criticize. NGNRs shared disconcerting experiences of intimidation when they were demoralized, undermined, or “talked down to” by their preceptors in the presence of patients, family members, and colleagues. Additionally, NGNRs felt preceptors and coworkers unreasonably challenged their nursing judgement and interventions leading to apprehension about their abilities to practice nursing independently. These conversations prompted the review of the “Bullying in the Workplace” procedure and “Just Culture” concepts throughout the year-long NRP. NGNRs participated in role play activities demonstrating “what to do” versus “what not to do” and reviewed case scenarios reflecting on effective approaches to handle uncivil and bullying behaviors. NGNRs also had the opportunity to engage in panel discussions with former NGNRs to learn how they overcame challenging situations with coworkers. Although NGNRs still experience incivility during their residency, they are equipped to react kindly while role modeling appropriate responses to counter unprofessional behaviors. The successful adoption to stop bullying behaviors by NGNRs prompted the inclusion of a session titled, “Promoting Civility and Anti-Bullying Behaviors” to NGNRs still within their year-long residency at their quarterly Professional Development Days and to the Intensive Clinical Program of the NRP for future nurse resident cohorts. Additionally, this crucial topic is included in the RN Bridge Program to Acute Care curriculum, Certified Nursing Assistant’s Professional Development Days, Nursing Orientation, Charge Nurse Workshops and Preceptor Workshops. Human resources also established the “Confidential HR Hotline” to report HR-related issues regarding behaviors inconsistent with respect, inclusion, and organizational standards. Furthermore, a guest speaker provided a 2-hour workshop titled, “Cultivating a Healthy Workforce by Addressing Unhealthy Behaviors” for RNs while the Professional Development Council (PDC) hosted a 6-hour “Healthy Work Environment” workshop for all employees. The PDC also spearheaded a year-long Incivility and Bullying Awareness Campaign which included presenting at staff meetings and unit-based and leader huddles; through storytelling of personal experiences, email communication and newsletters; and by distributing “Be Kind” buttons when acts of kindness were exhibited. Incorporating discussions about incivility and bullying behaviors empowered NGNRs to successfully navigate through difficult situations when faced with “nurses eating their young” mindsets in the workplace. Through ongoing dialogs with NGNRs and integrating incivility and bullying conversations with nursing staff, shared governance councils, and human resources, civil and professional behaviors in patient care areas have greatly improved thus ensuring safe patient care and outcomes.
Notes
Presenter notes available in attached slide deck.
Additional references available in attached slide deck.
References:
Aebersold, M., & Schoville, R. (2020). How to prevent the next generation of nurses from “eating their young”. Clinical Simulation in Nursing, 38, 27-34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecns.2019.10.002
Alshawush, K., Hallett, N., & Bradbury-Jones, C. (2022). The impact of transition programmes on workplace bullying, violence, stress and resilience for students and new graduate nurses: A scoping review. Journal of clinical nursing, 31(17-18), 2398–2417. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.16124
Caristo, J., & Clements, P. (2019). Let's stop “eating our young”: Zero-tolerance policies for bullying in nursing. Nursing Critical Care, 14(4), 45-48. DOI: 10.1097/01.CCN.0000565040.65898.01
Edmonson, C., & Zelonka, C. (2019). Our Own Worst Enemies: The Nurse Bullying Epidemic. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 43(3), 274-279. DOI: 10.1097/NAQ.0000000000000353
Tabakakis, C. K., McAllister, M., Bradshaw, J., & To, Q. G. (2019). Psychological resilience in New Zealand registered nurses: The role of workplace characteristics. Journal of nursing management, 27(7), 1351–1358. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.12815
Sigma Membership
Theta Tau
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Bullying, Incivility, Work Environment, Interns and Residents, New Graduate Nurses
Recommended Citation
Apana, Leilanie Gacayan, "“Promoting Civility and Anti-Bullying Behaviors in the Workplace” Initiatives Driven by the Nurse Residency Program" (2026). Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE). 80.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/chwe/2024/presentations_2024/80
Conference Name
Creating Healthy Work Environments
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Washington, DC, USA
Conference Year
2024
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
2026-02-23
“Promoting Civility and Anti-Bullying Behaviors in the Workplace” Initiatives Driven by the Nurse Residency Program
Washington, DC, USA
To alleviate the fear of “nurses eating their young” and impede disruptive behaviors, incivility, and bullying in the workplace, newly graduate nurse residents (NGNRs) learn strategies to promote a civil work environment upon hire into the Nurse Residency Program (NRP). Setting the expectation of acceptable workplace behaviors early in their nursing careers empowers NGNRs to advocate for and exhibit professional conduct fostering civility in the workplace. The necessity to provide NGNRs the resources to deflect detrimental attitudes in patient care areas was essential to ensure safe patient care and outcomes. During role transition discussions, NGNRs expressed insecurity, distress, and high anxiety due to working with colleagues quick to place blame, complain, or criticize. NGNRs shared disconcerting experiences of intimidation when they were demoralized, undermined, or “talked down to” by their preceptors in the presence of patients, family members, and colleagues. Additionally, NGNRs felt preceptors and coworkers unreasonably challenged their nursing judgement and interventions leading to apprehension about their abilities to practice nursing independently. These conversations prompted the review of the “Bullying in the Workplace” procedure and “Just Culture” concepts throughout the year-long NRP. NGNRs participated in role play activities demonstrating “what to do” versus “what not to do” and reviewed case scenarios reflecting on effective approaches to handle uncivil and bullying behaviors. NGNRs also had the opportunity to engage in panel discussions with former NGNRs to learn how they overcame challenging situations with coworkers. Although NGNRs still experience incivility during their residency, they are equipped to react kindly while role modeling appropriate responses to counter unprofessional behaviors. The successful adoption to stop bullying behaviors by NGNRs prompted the inclusion of a session titled, “Promoting Civility and Anti-Bullying Behaviors” to NGNRs still within their year-long residency at their quarterly Professional Development Days and to the Intensive Clinical Program of the NRP for future nurse resident cohorts. Additionally, this crucial topic is included in the RN Bridge Program to Acute Care curriculum, Certified Nursing Assistant’s Professional Development Days, Nursing Orientation, Charge Nurse Workshops and Preceptor Workshops. Human resources also established the “Confidential HR Hotline” to report HR-related issues regarding behaviors inconsistent with respect, inclusion, and organizational standards. Furthermore, a guest speaker provided a 2-hour workshop titled, “Cultivating a Healthy Workforce by Addressing Unhealthy Behaviors” for RNs while the Professional Development Council (PDC) hosted a 6-hour “Healthy Work Environment” workshop for all employees. The PDC also spearheaded a year-long Incivility and Bullying Awareness Campaign which included presenting at staff meetings and unit-based and leader huddles; through storytelling of personal experiences, email communication and newsletters; and by distributing “Be Kind” buttons when acts of kindness were exhibited. Incorporating discussions about incivility and bullying behaviors empowered NGNRs to successfully navigate through difficult situations when faced with “nurses eating their young” mindsets in the workplace. Through ongoing dialogs with NGNRs and integrating incivility and bullying conversations with nursing staff, shared governance councils, and human resources, civil and professional behaviors in patient care areas have greatly improved thus ensuring safe patient care and outcomes.
Description
Joining the nursing workforce is challenging enough without the fear of incivility and bullying behaviors from colleagues. New graduate nurse residents are empowered to speak up, advocate, and role model behaviors for a civil work environment with tools to mitigate unprofessional behaviors in the workplace.