Elizabeth Bloom, Ph.D.
Elizabeth Bloom, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor | Nursing
Dr. Bloom was appointed to the position of Assistant Professor in the Department of Nursing in 2015. Prior to that, she was first an instructor, then Level Chairperson, Acting Director and finally Director of St. Joseph School of Nursing in North Providence, Rhode Island. Her main area of study is medical-surgical nursing, with a focus on cardiac nursing, and her research area of interest is Horizontal Violence in Nursing. Dr. Bloom is a life-long resident of Rhode Island, and received her B.S.N., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Rhode Island.
Featured Spring/Fall 2020
Horizontal violence among nurses:
Experiences, responses, and job performance
Elizabeth Bloom
Abstract: Horizontal violence (HV), or nonphysical intergroup conflict expressed in overt and covert behaviors of hostility, is pervasive in nursing and has been discussed in the literature for more than two decades. It is costly and has potentially devastating effects including high nurse turnover rates, increased illness, decreased productivity, and decreased quality of patient care. Recognizing how these behaviors are established and sustained is necessary if nurses are to overcome these types of behaviors. This mixed methods study used an online survey to examine 76 hospital nurses’ experiences and responses to episodes of HV as well as its effects on job performance. Seven of these nurses answered more in‐depth questions during a follow‐up interview. Nurses in this study recognize HV as a phenomenon that occurred early in their careers as novice nurses. The literature suggests that these behaviors are evident during nursing education. The academic environment is an ideal place to teach the skills necessary to respond appropriately to HV with peer support being essential. Nurses also reported that manager and staff support and workplace education were the most helpful in reducing HV. Increased workload and stress and HV being accepted practice on the unit were factors identified as most important in promoting HV. Further, nurses cited reasons why they continue in their jobs after episodes of HV. Intervention studies are needed to test effective ways of reducing this very difficult behavior among nurses in the workplace.
APA Citation
Bloom EM. Horizontal violence among nurses: Experiences, responses, and job performance. Nursing Forum. 2019; 77-83.
Access
Abstract Only: DOI 10.1111/nuf.12300
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