An Exploratory Study of Bullying Directed Toward Clinical Nursing Faculty: Prevalence and Impact.

Background: Clinical education is an integral component of nursing education and relies heavily on clinical nursing faculty (CNF). However, there are not enough nurses seeking CNF positions to meet the current demand of the nursing workforce.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence and impact of workplace bullying directed toward CNF.

Methods: For this exploratory cross-sectional study, a web-based survey was distributed to CNF working in New England states.

Results: A total of 76 participant responses were analyzed. Eighteen percent of the participants met the criteria for being either occasionally or frequently bullied. Nursing staff in the clinical agencies and colleagues and administrators in the nursing program where CNF teach were identified as the most frequent perpetrators.

Conclusions: Understanding the prevalence and impact of bullying of CNF helps inform the development of strategies to support and retain these essential members of the nursing education workforce.