The Level and Frequency of Faculty Incivility as Perceived by Nursing Students of Lorestan University of Medical Sciences

Abstract

Background Little evidence exists concerning students’ perception of faculty incivility. Given the growing trend of incivility and the stressful nature of these behaviors, the present study aimed to investigate the level and frequency of faculty incivility as perceived by nursing students. Methods A stratified random sample of 178 students from four nursing faculties of Lorestan University of Medical Sciences participated in the present cross-sectional study. The Incivility in Nursing Education-Revised Survey, consisting of 24 items, was used to investigate the prevalence and frequency of faculty incivility, and the mean and frequency of each item was calculated separately. The data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics (chi-square, independent t-test and analysis of variance), and the significance level was set at 0.05. Results Most of the participants were single, did not live in a dormitory, and ranged in age from 19 to 23. From their perspective, disrespect, physical threat, property damage, and physical violence were of paramount importance. 61.8% of them argued that they had “sometimes” and “always” experienced “unfair assessment” during the last year. Creating codes of behavior, enhancing awareness of civility, and developing and implementing policies for managing incivility were proposed as the most important strategies for improving civility. Conclusion Faculty members should be prepared for establishing friendly and respectful relationships, effective teaching, and applying a reality-based assessment. Identifying different and prevalent kinds of faculty incivility and making faculty members aware of them paves the way for faculty members to rethink their performance.