Bullying in the nursing profession.
BACKGROUND
Self-esteem is a major predictor of behaviour. Nurses with healthy self-esteem are likely to deliver therapeutic patient care, while those with low self-esteem are less likely to do so.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the 3-year study discussed here was to explore students' self-esteem and how their experiences of preregistration education influenced its development over the period of the programme.


METHODS
Students participated in unstructured qualitative interviews at the beginning and end of their 3-year preregistration course and a grounded theory approach was used for data collection and analysis.


RESULTS
Bullying was found to be commonplace in the transition to becoming a nurse. Students were bullied and also witnessed patients being bullied by qualified nurses. The internalization of nursing norms meant that students then bullied others. Students' self-esteem was low.


CONCLUSIONS
Bullying, and its effects on self-esteem, are perpetuated by practices within nursing. This situation will only be changed if nurses and educators transform their practice and the context in which bullying occurs. Otherwise, each new generation of nurses will continue to be socialized into negative practices which undermine both their own feelings of self-worth and standards of nursing care.
Randle
Jacqueline
J
School of Nursing, Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK. jacqueline.randle@nottingham.ac.uk
D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D012649:Self Concept; D012919:Social Behavior; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology