ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Workplace incivility can be a factor in unhealthy work environments. Addressing unit culture improves job satisfaction and organizational commitment. AIM: The purpose of this quality improvement program was to educate nurses to identify and respond to hospital incivility. SETTING: A community hospital in the Northeastern United States. Participants-A convenience sample of nurses. METHODS: A quality improvement program was conducted, which included an incivility education module and cognitive rehearsal training. The nursing incivility scale (NIS) was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the educational module. Participants completed the NIS before, immediately after, and 1 month after the program. Cognitive rehearsal training included role playing using scripted responses to uncivil behavior. RESULTS: A one-way repeated measures analysis of variance was conducted to compare total score and eight subscale scores on the NIS before, after, and 1 month after implementation of the intervention. There was a statistically significant difference for effect of total time as well as for five of the eight subscales. CONCLUSIONS: Incivility programs can provide nurses with the needed tools to identify uncivil behaviors and react in a proactive, professional manner; this promotes a safe working environment for nurses and their patients.
