Civility and Workplace Bullying: Resonance of Nightingale's Persona and Current Best Practices

Conflict or aggression occurring between and among healthcare workers is undermining attempts to create a culture of safety in the workplace. Healthcare occupations have higher rates of workplace bullying (WPB), and intimidating behavior across healthcare settings has been shown to foster medical errors, increase the cost of care, and contribute to poor patient satisfaction and preventable adverse outcomes. WBP is also partially responsible for the high attrition among nurses, a particular concern in the current nursing shortage. Through a narrative that explores Florence Nightingale's professional persona and experience, this article outlines various factors that contribute to incivility and WPB, and provides suggestions for curriculum design that may help preempt incivility in tomorrow's nurses.