Does incivility impact the quality of work-life and ethical climate of nurses?

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess the relationship between incivility and two organizational and personal attitudes, namely, perceived ethical climate and perceived quality of work-life of nurses, in the framework of organizational climate. Design/methodology/approach: Quantitative data of 148 nurses working in a medium-sized hospital in Israel were collected. Furthermore, qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 12 nurses and 14 doctors from the same hospital, constructing a mixed-method approach. Findings: Findings revealed that witnessing or experiencing incivility affected the nurses' perception of the ethical climate of their work unit and their perceived quality of their work-life. Additionally, we found that the relationship between incivility and nurses' perceived quality of work-life was partially mediated through their perceived ethical climate. The qualitative data supported some of the findings. Originality/value: The article stretches the incivility theory beyond its dyadic boundaries, prominently showing the spillover effect of incivility as an organizational problem. Additionally, it offers some evidence-based support for the multidimensionality of incivility, strengthening the need for a construct cleanup.