Bullying Protective Program and Its Effect on Self-efficacy and Self-esteem among Nursing Students

Bullying among nurses and nursing students is a serious issue and generates a negative culture that threatens the ethics of nursing professionals and causes burnout or turnover among nurses. Hence, we must seriously consider measures to prevent it. Moreover, self-efficacy and self-esteem is crucial for the ability and performance of nursing students in the work environment. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of applying bullying protective program on self-efficacy and self-esteem among nursing students. A quasi-experimental research design one group pre-test, post-test and follow-up test was used. All family and community health nursing students (221) who enrolled in the fourth year-second semester of the academic year (2018-2019) at the faculty of nursing who agreed to be part in this study were included. Two tools were utilized which are General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) and Rosenberg's Global Self-esteem Scale, in addition to program implementation. There were statistically significant differences in both self-efficacy and self-esteem levels before and after the bullying protective program. There were a highly statistical significant improvement in the different levels of both self-esteem and self-efficacy immediately after bullying protective program and after 3 months (follow-up test) among nursing students compared to before the program where (p = 0.000). Implementation of a bullying protective program has a positive effect on improving self-efficacy and self-esteem of nursing students. Nursing curricula should integrate the concept of bullying and how to confront it in a professional manner. Also, the nursing college should set policies to eradicate the occurrence of bullying in the workplace, which creates a positive influence on the learning environment and the nursing profession as a whole.