An Evaluation of Uncivil Behaviors in Clinical Learning Environments from the Perspective of Nursing Students in Western Iran in 2020

Background: Uncivil behavior in clinical learning environments is a growing challenge that severely disrupts the teaching and learning process. Objectives: The aim of this study is to evaluate the incidence of uncivil behavior in clinical learning environments from the perspective of nursing students in western Iran. Methods: In this self-report descriptive cross-sectional study in the 2020 year, 135 undergraduate nursing students of semesters 3, 4, 6, and 8, who were taking training and internship courses, were enrolled. The standard UBCNE questionnaire with 20 questions based on the Likert scale and subscales of exclusionary, hostile/rude, and dismissive behaviors constituted research tools. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21 and descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: 103 (76.3%) trainees and 32 (23.7%) interns with a mean age of 21.53 years (1.60) participated in this study. According to the results of the Kruskal-Wallis test, the mean scores of hostile/rude, exclusionary, and dismissive behaviors and the total score in different semesters were significantly different (P < 0.001). In terms of the semester, these behaviors had the highest rate in semester 6 students and the lowest in semester 8 students. There was no statistically significant relationship between gender and the mean incidence of these behaviors in students. Conclusions: The results show the students’ experience with different behaviors in clinical settings according to different contexts. Further research is required to understand these behaviors in clinical settings better and to provide strategies to minimize such behaviors.