Running head: CONFLICT SYNTHESIS PAPER: LATERAL VIOLENCE 1

Conflict Synthesis Paper: Lateral Violence

Anne Gonzalez

University of Arizona

Conflict Synthesis Paper: Lateral Violence

Nursing is considered to be the most trusted and caring profession in the eyes of society
(Egues & Leinung, 2013). If nurses are portrayed to be such caring individual then why is there
so much conflict in the profession? Lateral violence can be defined workplace bullying,
disruptive behavior or horizontal violence, which is affecting new graduate nurse attrition,
hindering patient care, and creating occupational stress (Hubbard, 2014). After reflecting on the
article by Eagar et al. (2010) and research that I have completed, yes I believe there is a conflict
in the scope of practice in nursing today. Based on personal experience and mentoring new
nurses to the cath lab, toxic individuals have been identified and are known as such. It is
unacceptable to endure someones bad behavior because that is how they are.
Improving the way leadership engages this disruptive behavior will decrease nursing burn
out and prevent a nursing shortage (Frederick, 2014). It is estimated that in the year 2025 the
nursing profession will be short 500,000 nurse related to disruptive work environments and poor
staff retention (Frederick, 2014). A transformational leader will have a decreased turn over rate in
the unit because of the use of emotional intelligence (Littlejohn, 2012). It is not enough for the
leader to have clear communication with all staff members and behavior expectations.
Leadership has to maintain awareness of emotions of all members of the nursing team.
CONFLICT SYNTHSIS PAPER: LATERAL VIOLENCE 2
Identifying, eliminating, and preventing disruptive behaviors will create a desirable work and
healing environment (Wilkinson, 2011). The implementation of clear guidelines, presenting
modeled behavior and hold each individual accountable for actions is a start to preventing lateral
violence.
Leadership will complete an assessment of the work environment, by using an
assessment tool in the form of a questionnaire. A creditable assessment tool that can be used is
The Negative Acts Questionnaire or the Workplace Incivility Scale (Roberts, 2015). The results
will reflect how staff members feel about the work environment and the amount of incivility that
is present. Incivility can be defined as gossiping, ignoring, backstabbing and sarcastic remarks
(Roberts, 2015). The use of assessment tools will assist leadership in the desired direction to
identify and present the results to the staff members. Sharing the results will bring to light the
truth on how nurses feel about the work environment (Wilkinson, 2011).
All nurses will be asked what asked to share possible interventions that could help
improve the workplace (Winslow, Hougan, DeGuzman, & Black, 2015). Creating interventions
as a team will hold all nurses accountable to follow the newly implemented interventions and
rules (Littlejohn, 2012). The development of clear strong policies about the organizations culture
of safety will decrease the amount of reported cases of lateral violence and incivility (Roberts,
2015). Leadership will empower all nurses to become autonomous and involved in the
transformation of the organization. Giving the nursing staff the sense of empowerment and
autonomy will diminish the amount of cases reported of lateral violence (Roberts, 2015).
A presence of transformational leadership in the work environment will decrease nursing
turn over, promote wellness, and increase patient safety (Hubbard, 2014). Nurses have a high
level of occupational stress and need to feel supported by leadership. When leadership is absent
nurses are left feeling alone and overwhelmed (Frederick, 2014). Nurses will start to act out in
forms of aggression, intimidation and hostility (Wilkinson, 2011). The ramification of lack of the
leadership will create unnecessary lawsuits, limit organizational longevity, and most of all hurt
the patients we aim to care for so diligently. Supporting and promoting a culture of safety that
empowers nurses to have a voice will help healthcare healthy and productive.
CONFLICT SYNTHSIS PAPER: LATERAL VIOLENCE 3
References

Egues, A. L., & Leinung, E. Z. (2013). The bully within and without: Strategies to address

horizontal violence in nursing. Nursing Forum, 48(3), 185-190.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/nuf.12101

Frederick, D. (2014). Bullying, mentoring, and patient care. Association of periOperative

Registered Nurses Journal, 99(5), 587-593. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aorn.2013.10.023

Hubbard, P. (2014). What can be done about horizontal violence? Alberta RN, 69(4), 16-18.

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/01.NUMA.0000462366.91153.e2