Abstract
Background: Academic nursing environments face persistent challenges related to incivility and inclusivity (Bowen, Talley, Sample & Shirey, 2025) and recent studies have revealed negative correlations between incivility and inclusivity (Githens, 2011). Climate studies provide valuable insights into faculty, staff, and student experiences (Test, 2022), yet translating these findings into meaningful culture change requires intentional strategies.
Methods: Guided by principles of organizational change and healthy academic settings (Saunders, Sridaromont, & Gallegos, 2021), we analyzed climate study results to identify priority areas. A multidisciplinary team developed targeted interventions, including faculty and staff development workshops, student engagement forums, and policy revisions to address areas of concern. Implementation was supported by leadership commitment and ongoing formal evaluation via repeated climate studies and school-wide surveys.
Results: Early outcomes demonstrated increased faculty and staff awareness of civility standards, improved communication across stakeholder groups, and measurable shifts in perceptions of inclusivity. Feedback from faculty, staff, and students highlighted the value of data-driven approaches to initiate and support ongoing culture change. Statements related to community and belonging such as, “In my department, we welcome people of all backgrounds.” Increased from 88% in 2023 to 93% in 2025, and, “At this institution, we value people of all backgrounds.” increased from 79% in 2023 to 86% in 2025.
Conclusion: Using climate study data as a foundation for action can accelerate culture transformation in academic nursing. This project illustrates how evidence-informed strategies can promote well-being, civility, and inclusiveness for all stakeholders. Additionally, the approach we explain can be a replicable model for other institutions.
Notes
References:
Bowen, F. R., Talley, M., Sample, N., & Shirey, M. R. (2025, October). Leading change for culture and well-being in academic nursing. Nurse Leader, Article 102546. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mnl.2025.102546
Githens, R. P. (2011). Diversity and incivility: Toward an action-oriented approach. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 13(1), 40–53. https://doi.org/10.1177/1523422311410646
Saunders J, Sridaromont K, & Gallegos B. (2021). Steps to establish a healthy work environment in an academic nursing setting. Nurse Educator. 46(1), 2-4.
Test L. (March 17, 2022). Why employee engagement surveys are so important. https://lattice.com/articles/why-employee- engagement-surveys-are-so-important. Accessed November 26, 2025
Sigma Membership
Gamma Omicron at-Large
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Workforce, lncivility, Faculty Development, Nursing Faculty, Faculty Attitudes, Disruptive Behavior
Recommended Citation
Bowen, Felesia; Talley, Michele H.; Sample, Nevette; and Shirey, Maria, "Leveraging Data to Facilitate Purposeful Culture Change" (2026). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 250.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2026/presentations_2026/250
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
2026-08-30
Leveraging Data to Facilitate Purposeful Culture Change
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Background: Academic nursing environments face persistent challenges related to incivility and inclusivity (Bowen, Talley, Sample & Shirey, 2025) and recent studies have revealed negative correlations between incivility and inclusivity (Githens, 2011). Climate studies provide valuable insights into faculty, staff, and student experiences (Test, 2022), yet translating these findings into meaningful culture change requires intentional strategies.
Methods: Guided by principles of organizational change and healthy academic settings (Saunders, Sridaromont, & Gallegos, 2021), we analyzed climate study results to identify priority areas. A multidisciplinary team developed targeted interventions, including faculty and staff development workshops, student engagement forums, and policy revisions to address areas of concern. Implementation was supported by leadership commitment and ongoing formal evaluation via repeated climate studies and school-wide surveys.
Results: Early outcomes demonstrated increased faculty and staff awareness of civility standards, improved communication across stakeholder groups, and measurable shifts in perceptions of inclusivity. Feedback from faculty, staff, and students highlighted the value of data-driven approaches to initiate and support ongoing culture change. Statements related to community and belonging such as, “In my department, we welcome people of all backgrounds.” Increased from 88% in 2023 to 93% in 2025, and, “At this institution, we value people of all backgrounds.” increased from 79% in 2023 to 86% in 2025.
Conclusion: Using climate study data as a foundation for action can accelerate culture transformation in academic nursing. This project illustrates how evidence-informed strategies can promote well-being, civility, and inclusiveness for all stakeholders. Additionally, the approach we explain can be a replicable model for other institutions.
Description
This presentation will describe how data from a university climate survey was used to create a decisive plan for culture change within a school of nursing. The quality improvement project, led by faculty and staff, was grounded in a systematic change model to address issues. While this project was conducted in a university setting, it can be applied to any setting