Creating a Culture of Civility in Academic Nursing

Purpose: Incivility is a current issue in nursing education. The literature supports nursing programs are struggling with civility and student-faculty relationships. These struggling student-faculty relationships influence the culture of the nursing program and the learning environment (Clark, Nguyen, & Barbosa-Leiker, 2014; Clark, Barbos-Leiker, Gill, & Nguyen, 2015; Clark, 2017; Jenkins, Kerber, & Woith, 2013). Often, student views of uncivil behaviors differ from faculty views. This incongruency contributes to the problem of incivility. Altmiller (2012) examined student perspectives of incivility and identified faculty behaviors in which students associated with incivility. Themes and subthemes identified from the students included poor communication, power gradient inequality, and authority failure. Holtz, Rawl, and Draucker (2018) examined student perspectives of incivility and identified faculty behaviors in which students associated with incivility. Findings indicated students believe faculty behaviors representing incivility include judging or labeling, impeding student progress, picking on students, putting students on the spot, withholding instruction, and forcing students into no-win situations. The Incivility in Nursing Education Survey Revised (INE-R) examines student and faculty views regarding uncivil behaviors. The survey results identify behaviors of incivility from student and faculty perspectives (Clark, 2015).

As in many programs, faculty in a BSN program noticed challenges in student-faculty relationships and the impact on the culture of the nursing program. With these concerns in mind, INE-R was utilized to survey students and faculty in the BSN program. Findings from this mixed methods study indicated although there were no statistically significant differences in student and faculty views of low-level uncivil student or faculty behaviors, there was a statistically significantly difference (p = .02, alpha = .05) in what students and faculty consider high-level uncivil student behaviors. Based on these findings, faculty took steps to create a culture of civility through improving student-faculty interactions and relationships.

Methods: Shortly after the INE-R survey data collection and analysis was completed, the program experienced a new organizational structure and a change in leadership. The new leadership was supportive of the initiative to create a culture of civility in the School of Nursing. Initiatives include: faculty working with student representatives from each level of the BSN program to establish core values statements, opportunities for students and faculty to engage in non-academic activities, incorporating discussion of civility and expectations at School of Nursing Convocation, and faculty commitment to reinforcing civil behaviors. Finally, the INE-R will be repeated to re-evaluate civility in the BSN program.

Results: Students and faculty collaborated to develop core values and core values statements for the School of Nursing. Four opportunities for non-academic student-faculty engagement took place over the academic year. Core values and core values statements will be promoted in the upcoming academic year. Opportunities for student-faculty engagement in non-academic activities will be continued.

Conclusion: Developing a shared language and expectations for professional behaviors will contribute to creating a civil academic culture. A culture of civility will contribute to a positive learning environment. Developing professional values and behaviors is an important step in the nursing student’s journey towards professional nursing practice.