Factors Influencing Hospital Nurses’ Workplace Bullying Experiences Focusing on Meritocracy Belief, Emotional Intelligence, and Organizational Culture: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Aims. To identify the factors influencing hospital nurses’ workplace bullying experiences (victim and perpetrator aspects) focusing on meritocracy beliefs, emotional intelligence, and organizational culture. Background. Workplace bullying remains a major issue in nursing despite decades of research and policy-making. Therefore, comprehensively understanding the individual and institutional factors affecting workplace bullying from both the victim and perpetrator perspectives is crucial. Methods. In October 2022, 379 nurses working in South Korean tertiary hospitals were surveyed using a self-reported online questionnaire. Meritocracy beliefs, emotional intelligence, workplace bullying experiences, and nursing organizational culture were measured using the Meritocracy Belief Scale, Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale, Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised, and Positive Nursing Organizational Culture Measurement Tool, respectively. Results. Gamma regression analysis revealed that, for workplace bullying, the factors influencing the victim aspect were the experience of witnessing bullying in the workplace, organizational culture, and meritocracy beliefs. In contrast, the factors affecting the perpetrator aspect were emotional intelligence, meritocracy beliefs, and experience of bullying at work. Conclusion. Decreasing nurses’ degree of meritocratic hubris in a positive organizational culture and increasing their emotional intelligence are necessary to prevent and intervene in workplace bullying. Implications for Nursing Management. Targeted approaches are needed to address and mitigate the detrimental effects of factors influencing workplace bullying. These approaches could include interventions that improve nurses’ emotional intelligence, assess their level of meritocracy beliefs, and offer opportunities for self-reflection on meritocratic hubris. Such initiatives may be necessary to effectively tackle workplace bullying and promote a healthier nursing work environment.