Running head: HORIZONTAL VIOLENCE 1

Horizontal Violence
Sydonie Stock
Ferris State University

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Horizontal Violence
The phenomenon studied by Sellers, Millenbach, Kovach, and Yingling (2009) was
horizontal violence, also called bullying, experienced by nurses in New York State. The purpose
was to examine the knowledge of nursing administrators about horizontal violenceto
ascertain if they used evidence-based leadership in their roles (Sellers et al., 2009). Sellers et al
(2009) provided examples of horizontal violence: acts of unkindness, discourtesy, and
divisiveness such as gossip, verbal abuse, intimidation, sarcasm, elitist attitudes, and fault-
finding.
Theory
Zaccagnini and White (2014) wrote in their textbook, the definition of leadership:
Leadership is communication to people their worth and potential so clearly that they come to
see it in themselves. They said that Transformational Leadership is empowering all members of
the team, not just the leaders, to work together toward a common goal (Zaccagnini & White,
2014).
Sellers et al (2009) used MacGregor-Burns Transformational Leadership theory. This
theory looks at the interaction of leaders and those being led as collaborators working toward
mutual benefit (Sellers et al., 2009). This means that people, in this case nurses, must work
together, not bully each other or put others down. Nurses should help one another.
Methods and Findings
Sellers et al (2009) conducted a descriptive study using a convenience sample of
registered nurses. These nurses were all members of New York Organization of Nurse
Executive (NYONE) who attended the 2008 Annual Leadership Meeting of NYONE. A
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questionnaire was emailed and completed using the demographic information and part one of
Briles Sabotage-Savvy questionnaire (Sellers et al., 2009).
The results of the survey showed that 26.3% of responding nurses felt they were
expected to do others work, 29.4% felt they were not acknowledged for the work they did,
28.4% felt there was untrue information exchanged, and 24.3% felt information was withheld
form them (Sellers et al., 2009). It was also found that nurses working in health care facilities
that used unions, there was a higher prevalence of expected to do others work answered with
often or frequently (Sellers et al., 2009). The results of the study supported the findings
from the literature, which said that horizontal violence is so ingrained in nursings
organizational culture that it is not recognized and until it is recognized and named little can be
done to alter it (Sellers et al., 2009).
Relate to Theory and Practice
It is an unfortunate truth that nurses eat their young as the saying goes. This does not
only happen with nursing students or new nurses, but throughout the profession. It is not limited
to the nursing profession, however. Sellers et al (2009) found through literature review that
physician assistant students and hospital administrators also experience horizontal violence.
Nurses should work together toward the common goal of patient care. They should
follow the Transformational Leadership theory and show that every member of the team is
worthwhile and has something to contribute. Nurse administrators should utilize this theory as
leaders of their nursing subordinates to encourage healthy communication and teamwork.
Credibility
The Journal of New York State Nursing Association is a semiannual, peer-reviewed
publication (Guidelines for Authors, 2013). As a peer reviewed journal, other nurses who are
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experts in the topic read the manuscript before it is printed or published (Nieswiadomy, 2012, p.
265). The authors, Sellers et al (2009), did not claim any conflict of interest regarding their
research on horizontal violence. They are all registered nurses with advanced degrees, either
PhD or Masters. Using the Evidence Pyramid discussed in class, this research article is at Level
6, which means there is not much weight to the evidence supplied.
Analysis
This study is important to the nursing profession because it brings the problem of
horizontal violence into the light. If people are researching this phenomenon, and others are
reading the results of the research, perhaps something will be done to limit or eliminate
horizontal violence among nurses. Sellers et al (2009) acknowledged that further research needs
to be conducted to heighten the awareness of [horizontal violence] so that solutions to combat it
can be developed.
Through literature review, Sellers et al (2009) found that nurses experience both
physical and psychological consequences when they are victims of [horizontal violence].
Nurses have been known to lose weight, gain weight, develop hypertension, experience
palpitations, or develop irritable bowel syndrome. There have been diagnoses of depression,
anxiety, and even post-traumatic stress disorder, all connected to horizontal violence (Sellers et
al., 2009). There is a positive correlation between horizontal violence and nurse burnout as well
as sleep disturbances, low self-esteem, and poor morale (Sellers et al., 2009).
Conclusion
As Sellers et al (2009) say, Nurses pride themselves in being part of a caring
profession. But how caring can nurses be when they cant even work together for the benefit of
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their patients and their own physical and mental health? Further research needs to be conducted
in order to find ways to combat this serious problem in the nursing profession.

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References
Guidelines for Authors. (2013). Journal of New York State Nursing Association.
Nieswiadomy, R. (2012). Foundations of nursing research (6
th
ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Pearson Education, Inc.
Sellers, K., Millenbach, L., Kovach, N., & Yingling, J. (2009). The prevalence of horizontal
violence in New York State registered nurses. Journal Of The New York State Nurses
Association, 40(2), 20-25.
Zaccagnini, M. & White, K. (2014). The doctor of nursing practice essentials: A new model for
advanced practice nursing (2
nd
ed.). Chapter 6. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett
Learning.