Comprehending the disruptive influence of workplace gaslighting behaviours and mobbing on nurses' career entrenchment: A multi-centre inquiry

Aim: To explore the disruptive influence of workplace gaslighting behaviours and mobbing on nurses' career entrenchment across multiple healthcare centres. Design: A multi-centre cross-sectional. Methods: Data were collected from 483 nurses from various healthcare settings in Egypt, spanning from January 2024 to February 2024. The Gaslighting at Work Questionnaire, Luxembourg Workplace Mobbing Scale and Career Entrenchment Scale were employed for data collection. Results: The study revealed moderate levels of gaslighting, mobbing and nurses' career entrenchment. Also, there is a negative correlation between nurses' career entrenchment and both gaslighting and mobbing, while gaslighting and mobbing exhibit a positive correlation. The study also highlighted regional disparities in the prevalence of these phenomena, with the highest incidences noted in urban healthcare settings. Conclusion: The findings underscore the critical impact of workplace gaslighting and mobbing on nurses' career entrenchment. Reporting Method: The relevant reporting method has been adhered to, that is, STROBE. Implication for the Profession: The future of the nursing profession requires building productive nurses who can cope with negative workplace experiences. This could be achieved by cultivating a workplace culture that has zero tolerance for these experiences. Offering counselling services or employee assistance programmes to help nurses cope with the emotional toll of these negative experiences is a promising strategy. Impact: This study is the first to examine serious workplace practices like gaslighting and mobbing in a nursing context, emphasizing their effect on nursing-sensitive indicators like career entrenchment. It is one of the important initiatives geared towards upgrading the competitiveness and magnetism of healthcare organizations in the era of green human resources management. Results provide valuable insights for nurse leaders to control nursing turnover and shortage crises in different endeavours. Patient or Public Contribution: In our study, nurses from diverse geographical regions and varied specialties actively participate, offering a rich tapestry of experiences and perspectives.