Workplace Bullying and Perceived Helpfulness of Psychosocial Support Among Korean Nurses Following the Anti-Workplace Bullying Law: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Authors

Eun Young Choi, Haeyoung Lee

Published in

Journal of nursing management. Volume 2026. Issue 1. Pages e1127218.

Abstract

Workplace bullying remains an important concern in nursing management. In South Korea, workplace bullying has been prohibited under the Labor Standards Act since 2019, but evidence regarding nurses' experiences of workplace bullying and their perceptions of support following implementation remains limited. This study examined workplace bullying among Korean nurses, perceived changes following implementation of the Anti-Workplace Bullying Law, awareness of organizational prevention and response systems, and perceived helpfulness of psychosocial support.
A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 306 staff nurses working in acute care or long-term care hospitals from March to April 2022. Workplace bullying was assessed using the Korean version of the Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, and chi-square tests.
Overall, 25.2% of participants were classified as having been exposed to workplace bullying during the previous 6 months, with work-related negative behaviors being the most prominent. A decrease in bullying following implementation of the law was perceived by 39.0% of nurses with recent bullying experience and 58.5% of those without recent bullying experience. Only 45.1% reported that an organizational prevention and response system was in place, while 37.9% were unsure. Annual leave or time off and peer support were rated as the most helpful support options. Nurses with recent bullying experience rated manager-based and several in-house support options as less helpful.
Nurses' perceptions of change and support following implementation of the law were not uniform according to recent bullying experience. Strengthening the visibility, clarity, and accessibility of reporting and support mechanisms, as well as providing flexible psychosocial support options may improve the practical responsiveness of workplace bullying prevention efforts.
Nursing managers should address work-related negative behaviors in routine practices, such as workload allocation and information sharing, ensure that reporting and support mechanisms are accessible, and provide multiple support pathways rather than relying primarily on manager-based support.

PMID:
42891527
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 18 Oct 2026.

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