Analyzing the relationships between mobbing and work load, role conflict, and role ambiguity among nurses: A case of state hospitals in Sakarya province

This study deals with the relationships between mobbing and role ambiguity, role conflict, and work load among nurses; the effects of work load on sub-dimensions of mobbing as well as its direct effect on mobbing; and the moderator role of work load in the effects of role ambiguity and role conflict on mobbing. Data collection tools of the study are The Work Harassment Scale (Bjorkqvist and Osterman, 1992), Role Conflict and Ambiguity Scales (Rizzo et al., 1970), Role Overload Scale (Beehr et al., 1976), and a survey form about participants' socio-demographic characteristics. The study was conducted with 260 nurses working in Sakarya University Training and Research Hospital, Yenikent State Hospital, and Toyotasa Emergency Hospital. IBM SPSS Statistics 22 program was used to analyze data. In addition to descriptive statistics, correlation and regression analyses, independent samples t-test, and one-way analysis of variance were employed in the study. The data were analyzed at a confidence interval of 0.05. The study results showed that there are statistically significant relationships between mobbing and role conflict and between mobbing and work load; between work load and role ambiguity and between work load and role conflict; and between role conflict and work load. Role ambiguity has a negative effect on attack on private life, which is one of the sub-dimensions of mobbing. On the other hand, role conflict has a positive effect on mobbing as well as its two sub-dimensions that are verbal attack and attack with organizational instruments. Moreover, work load has a positive effect on mobbing and on verbal attack, attack on private life, and attack with organizational instruments, which are among the sub-dimensions of mobbing. Furthermore, work load has a moderator role in the effect of role conflict on mobbing. There are statistically significant differences between the participants depending on socio-demographic characteristics. There are statistically significant differences between the participants in terms of role ambiguity, role conflict, and work load by marital status; in terms of work load by educational background; and finally terms of role ambiguity, role conflict, and work load by working period. The study indicated that there is a need for institutional efforts to detect and prevent the negative results of mobbing so as to raise employees' productivity. It is necessary to adopt anti-mobbing policies within organizations. Also, it is recommended that nurses be informed clearly about their duties, responsibilities, and job definitions in order to eliminate perceptions of role conflict and ambiguity.