Bullying and violence prevention programmes in nursing: integrative literature review

Abstract

Background: Several studies have highlighted workplace bullying in the healthcare sector, especially its prevalence among nursing employees. Despite the recommendations by previous studies for control measures to be instituted, bullying and violence remain a major challenge in the nursing sector. Aim: The aim of the study is to identify and critically evaluate articles from scientific nursing publications, identified in specific databases, as to what makes bullying and violence prevention programmes for nurses effective. This is to gain a better understanding of the problem, and to see how it has been addressed in the past 5 years. The findings will serve to inform future interventions to reduce workplace bullying among nurses. Methodology: An integrative literature review framework was employed. Thirty-one (31) articles identified from Cochrane library, EBSCO host (CINAHL, ERIC and MEDLINE), PubMed, Wiley Online Library and Psych Info were included in this review. Results: The following characteristics, which make bullying and violence prevention programmes, were identified: leaders' involvement, empowerment programmes and institutionalisation ofbullying prevention policies. Recommendations: To incorporate evidence based training and techniques timeously and consistently within the undergraduate and orientation programmes as well as conducting more studies within South Africa to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention strategies mentioned in literature.

Keywords: bullying, prevention, effectiveness, nursing