Student Incivility and Faculty Burnout in Nursing Education

Document Type

Poster Presentation

Publication Date

4-17-2026

Keywords

fsc2026

Abstract

Background/Purpose: Student incivility in undergraduate nursing education has become a persistent and escalating concern.  Student-to-faculty incivility can negatively impact the learning environment, a faculty member’s ability to perform their job, and may contribute to faculty burnout and subsequent retention issues. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between nursing student incivility and faculty burnout.

Theoretical Framework: This research is guided by the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, which posits that burnout arises from an imbalance between job demands and resources. Job demands include qualitative (e.g., emotional and interpersonal stressors) and quantitative (e.g., workload) factors.

Methods: In this descriptive, cross-sectional, correlational study, faculty members from AACN member schools were invited to complete a demographic survey, the Incivility in Higher Education (INE-R; predictor variables), and the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (outcome variables; exhaustion, disengagement, total burnout). Descriptive analyses were performed for demographic, predictor, and outcome variables. Inferential analyses were conducted to identify significant bivariate relationships before hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis.

Results: A total of 139 individuals responded to the survey, with one participant subsequently eliminated due to outlier analysis. Mean total incivility score was 72.17. Mean total burnout score was 36.9 (low burnout). No demographic variables were significantly correlated with burnout.  Significant correlations were found between the frequency (p = < 0.001; r = .380 [CI: 0.224-0.517]) and perceived severity (p = < 0.001; r = .422 [CI: 0.275-0.550]) of uncivil behaviors with burnout total score and subscales. The significant items were entered into a hierarchical regression. For total burnout, in block 1 the INER items accounted for 25.8% of the variation of the dependent variable (F [19, 113] = 2.071, p = 0.01), and adding perceived severity in block 2 contributed 6.3% more variance (F [1, 112] = 10.416, p = 0.002).

Conclusion and Implications: Frequency and perceived severity of student incivility toward faculty contribute to faculty burnout.  Student incivility should be viewed as a demand on faculty requiring adequate resources to address it and prevent burnout and attrition.

Comments

Poster presented at the 2026 Fisher Showcase, St. John Fisher University, April 17, 2026.

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