Bullying Behaviors in Clinical Settings: Potentially Harmful Distractions

In this episode of Nursing EDge Unscripted, Dr. Steven Palazzo interviews Dr. Dawna Rutherford about her research on bullying behaviors in clinical settings and their impact on nursing students. The discussion centers on a simulation study that examined how bullying and distractions affect medication administration performance. Interestingly, students exposed to bullying completed tasks faster, possibly due to anxiety-driven responses, though this raised concerns about safety and decision-making under pressure. The conversation also explores how to design effective simulations and integrate education on bullying into nursing curricula. Dr. Rutherford emphasizes the importance of preparing students with strategies to handle real-world clinical challenges, including interpersonal dynamics.

Rutherford, D., Gillespie, G. L., Bresler, S., Johnson, K., & Smith, C. R. (2025). Bullying Behaviors in Clinical Settings: Potentially Harmful Distractions. Nursing education perspectives, 46(4), 246–248. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NEP.0000000000001380

Dedicated to excellence in nursing, the National League for Nursing is the leading organization for nurse faculty and leaders in nursing education. Find past episodes of the NLN Nursing EDge podcast online. Get instant updates by following the NLN on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube. For more information, visit NLN.org.