Do Nurse Leaders Influence the Perception of Incivility?

Abstract

Workplace incivility can cause nurses to feel undervalued, which affects team dynamics and employee retention. While workplace incivility in nursing has been previously studied, the unique impact of COVID-19 on the nursing profession and current state of workplace incivility must be investigated. The objective of this study was to explore the incidence of incivility in the nursing workforce post-COVID-19 and to investigate the impact of leadership styles on the frequency of incivility. This study used a convergent mixed-method design. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire and Workplace Incivility Survey were administered to acute care nurses during hospital civility training. Transformational leadership was the most prevalent leadership style. Over 37% of surveyed nurses considered civility a moderate-to-severe problem in the workplace. Incivility was negatively correlated with transformational leadership and positive leadership outcomes. Strategies must be implemented to help facilitate a more civil workplace. Close monitoring of nurse leadership characteristics enables organizations to support and offer education/training to nurse leaders, thereby influencing the incidence of incivility.