The impact of workplace bullying on depression among clinical nurses in China: A comparative analysis

The objective of this study is to examine the phenomenon of workplace bullying and its potential associations with burnout and depression among clinical nurses in China. A convenience sampling method was utilized to conduct a survey among 415 clinical nurses across 9 hospitals. All questionnaires were completed within a 2-week period in October 2023. The survey questionnaire comprised 3 sections, namely basic information, negative acts questionnaire (NAQ), and self-rating depression scale (SDS). Based on their depression status, the participants were categorized into 2 groups, namely depression group and control group. A comparative analysis of the basic data and NAQ was performed between 2 groups, and factors exhibiting statistically significant differences in the single factor analysis were subjected to binary logistic regression analysis. Additionally, Pearson correlation analysis was utilized to examine the correlations among the variables. Ninety-four individuals were included in depression group, accounting for 22.65% of the total sample, with a mean SDS of 44.7 ± 5.5. The control group consisted of 321 participants, representing 77.35% of the total, with a mean SDS of 24.8 ± 9.0. No statistically significant differences were observed between 2 groups regarding gender, monthly income, education level, night duty, body mass index, working hospital, department, employment status, only child status, local residency, and number of children. The age, length of services, professional title, marital status, and NAQ of depression group and control group were compared, and the difference was found to be statistically significant (P < .05). The findings from the binary logistic regression analysis indicated that both length of service and NAQ emerged as significant independent predictors of nurses' depression. Furthermore, the results of the Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated a positive association between the depression levels of clinical nurses and NAQ. The duration of employment and NAQ of clinical nurses were independent factors influencing depression. A positive correlation was found between depression and NAQ. It is evident that workplace bullying has a detrimental impact on the mental well-being of clinical nurses. To address this issue, hospital administrators are advised to implement regular psychological clinics for clinical nurses and offer targeted educational programs aimed at increasing awareness of workplace bullying and enhancing coping strategies.