Exploring Lateral Violence Among Nurses

Abstract

This qualitative descriptive study explored how 26 nurses practicing in diverse settings across the United States experienced, understood, and made meaning of nurse-to-nurse bullying, and how these experiences shaped their workplace culture. Analysis of the results of semi-structured interviews revealed three themes: the normalization of bullying through professional language and early socialization, the acceptance of bullying as a rite of passage tied to power and hierarchy, and the need to intentionally disrupt these patterns through nursing education. Participants described how bullying began in nursing school and continued into their clinical practice, contributing to stress, disengagement, and intent to leave the profession. They also emphasized the responsibility of nursing educators to address workplace climates and to prepare students to respond to bullying through the curriculum. Creating learning environments that emphasize communication, reflection, and relational accountability may help challenge the normalization of bullying and foster more supportive and collaborative nursing cultures.