fatemeh farzi

Incivility is a kind of disrespect to people. Students and faculty members agree on the growing trend of incivility. Uncivil behaviors in online nursing classes are a serious global issue that can influence the learning-teaching process and threaten patient safety in the clinical setting. This study aimed to identify incivility in the online learning environment from the perspective of nursing faculty members and students. This descriptive qualitative study was conducted in 2021. A total of 20 participants were selected from among nursing students and faculty through purposive sampling. Data were collected using in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed via a qualitative content analysis approach. Data analysis revealed five categories including ghost students, unconditional freedom, disruptive learning behaviors, academic dishonesty, and ignoring the rules of the online learning environment. Incivility in the online learning environment disrupts the teaching-learning process and undermines instructor-student relationships. Given that disrespectful and threatening behaviors, even to a small degree, can significantly affect the learning environment, it is essential to recognize such behaviors. As uncivil behaviors in virtual nursing education can affect education by developing inappropriate behavioral and communication patterns in students, leading to the violation of professional ethics and patients’ rights, it is necessary to pay attention to this critical issue by conducting further studies and designing interventions to correct it.

Incivility is one of the significant challenges that affect nursing education. Uncivil behaviors have a significant upward trend compared to the past in nursing education. This study was conducted to explore academic incivility from the perspective of nursing students and faculty.

This study was conducted in 2021 using a descriptive qualitative method. Fifteen baccalaureate nursing students and six faculty were selected using purposeful sampling method. Data was collected through in‑depth semi‑structured interviews, and a qualitative content analysis was applied for data analysis.

Data analysis revealed four categories, namely, ineffective teaching–learning, inapposite/ unreasonable requests, behaviors disrupting mutually respectful environment, and academic dishonesty, and 14 subcategories.

To reduce incivility, closer attention needs to be paid to the admission of faculty as well as training them to use effective communication techniques and interactive teaching methods. In addition, nursing students must be provided with the training about uncivil behaviors. Furthermore, clear and precise rules and regulations concerning incivility incidence should be developed and implemented in the universities.

Incivility has been raised as a growing concern and a hot topic in nursing education. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a context‑based educational intervention on the nursing students’ civility index and their perception of uncivil behaviors.

This quasi‑experimental study was done from 2019 to 2020 in Khorramabad, Iran. A context‑based educational intervention focusing on problem‑based scenarios was conducted for 4 weeks. Clark Civility Index for Students and Classmates (2017) and Clark Incivility Scale in the University Environment (2014) were used. Data were analyzed using Stata, descriptive statistics, and paired t‑test.

There was a significant difference between the mean score of students’ civility index before and after the intervention (8.31 points increase, P = 0.004). However, there was no significant difference between the mean score of the civility index for classmates before and after the intervention. Furthermore, the mean score of students’ perception of incivility after the intervention increased by 5.88 points, which confirmed the significant effect of the intervention in improving students’ understanding of uncivil behaviors (P = 0.018).

Considering the effectiveness of the problem‑based scenario along with other strategies such as journal club and self‑learning in increasing the awareness of civility and improving the civility index, the use of these strategies is recommended in order to reduce incivility.