Workplace cyberbullying exposed: A concept analysis.

PURPOSES

(1) To understand the concept of workplace cyberbullying, (2) to develop a conceptual definition of workplace cyberbullying, and (3) to examine evidence on workplace cyberbullying in nursing.

METHOD

Walker and Avant's eight-step approach to concept analysis was used.

DATA SOURCE

Fifteen articles were derived from search of five databases using key terms and factored as cyber, bullying, work, place, and combined terms with nursing or harassment.

FINDINGS

Four defining attributes of workplace cyberbullying identified are persistent unwanted act stemming from the work environment, delivered through digital technology, faceless perpetrator, and boundaryless. A new conceptual definition of workplace cyberbullying is developed.

CONCLUSION

Developing a new conceptual definition of workplace cyberbullying is critical, which may be the starting point to theory and new instrument development to test the operational concepts. More research such as using a hybrid approach to develop the concept of workplace cyberbullying.