Beyond the Individual: An Ecological Analysis of Workplace Bullying in Aotearoa New Zealand Midwifery

Abstract

Aim This study examined how midwives described workplace bullying and the individual, relational, organisational and wider professional or policy conditions associated with their experiences. Background This exploratory qualitative descriptive study comprised Phase II of a two‐phase investigation of workplace bullying among midwives in Aotearoa New Zealand. Methods Seven practising midwives from varied career stages and practice contexts participated in semistructured online interviews. Two researchers independently coded the transcripts, compared their coding and collaboratively reviewed developing patterns and themes. Data‐led analysis generated four process‐oriented themes, which were then interpreted using Johnson’s Ecological Model of Workplace Bullying. Results Participants described public belittling, professional undermining, exclusion, fear, psychological distress, diminished professional confidence and withdrawal. Four themes were constructed: being diminished and pushed out, hierarchy turns vulnerability into control, organisational silence protects harmful practice and system conditions normalise and isolate. Participants connected these experiences with relational and professional hierarchies, reporting barriers, perceived leadership inaction, workforce pressures, employment arrangements and professional or cultural norms. Cross‐level analysis suggested possible connections between interpersonal devaluation, organisational responses and wider workforce and professional conditions. Conclusions The findings suggest that workplace bullying may extend beyond interpersonal conflict and be sustained through interacting relational, organisational and structural influences. This contextually grounded study identifies potential intervention points across ecological levels without claiming prevalence, causation or effects on patient safety across the wider midwifery workforce. Larger and more diverse studies incorporating organisational and regulatory perspectives are needed to examine these pathways and evaluate multilevel interventions. Implications for Nursing Management Responses should extend beyond individual coping and support to address relational conduct, organisational accountability and wider professional conditions. For nursing management, recognising bullying as more than an interpersonal problem requires considering how leadership responses, reporting processes, workforce pressures, employment arrangements and professional hierarchies may shape workplace experiences. These remain candidate areas for further evaluation.