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BACKGROUND: Current concerns about the need to improve the working lives of health service staff are well founded, and are receiving new impetus in current NHS human resource practice. However, the incidence of bullying in nursing would seem particularly problematic considering its effect on such a large proportion of the health service workforce. This article deals with a number of pertinent issues regarding what might constitute bullying and the growth of the phenomenon. In particular, the lessons we can learn in relation to its impact on patient care should be of concern. CONCLUSION: Ongoing research by the author is beginning to indicate that managerial and often union recognition and handling of such problems is frequently far from satisfactory. The article concludes with some suggestions for improvements.
Malcolm Lewis (Wed,) studied this question.