A systematic review of workplace mistreatment and coping responses of healthcare professionals

Purpose This paper reviews the literature on workplace mistreatment faced by healthcare professionals and the coping mechanisms they suggest. Design/methodology/approach We conducted a systematic literature review using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to identify articles relevant to the topic of investigation. English-language articles focusing on the mistreatment experienced by healthcare professionals in Web of Science or Scopus-indexed journals published from 1996 to 2025 are selected for review. These articles were analyzed through the AMO (antecedents, mediators and outcomes) and 5 W (What, Who, When, Where and Why) +1H (How) frameworks. Findings Out of the initial 1,973 articles, we identified 76 articles meeting our inclusion criteria. Using these articles, we prepared a conceptual framework that includes the antecedents and mediators, divided into individual, organizational and other factors. The outcomes were divided between individual levels (physical, psychological and job) and organizational levels. The coping strategies used by the healthcare professionals and organizations were reviewed, along with study implications and future research directions. Originality/value This article reviews and synthesizes the literature on mistreatment faced by healthcare professionals from coworkers, supervisors, patients and patients' families. Along with this, we have reviewed the coping strategies suggested by the healthcare professionals.