Bullying in nursing setting: An essential yet challenging issue for novice nurses

To facilitate a more comprehensive discussion of the topic, it is essential to begin by defining key terms. A general definition of bullying is “workplace behavior that could reasonably be considered humiliating, intimidating, threatening, or demeaning to an individual or group, and which typically occurs repeatedly over time”. Bullying involves a series of deliberate, repetitive behaviors aimed at harming specific individuals within the workplace [1]. Workplace bullying (WPB) is any negative behavior enacted by an individual or group possessing actual or perceived power that is persistently directed at another individual over a prolonged period—typically six months or more—where the target finds it challenging to defend themselves [2]. Novice professionals often enter clinical environments without prior experience in the tasks they are expected to perform. They are introduced to these environments through objective descriptors—features that can be understood without direct situational expertise [3].