The relationship between self-efficacy, malicious or benign envy in nurses: A cross-sectional study

Aim: To determine whether nurses' self-efficacy affected envy levels and to develop the necessary strategies.

Background: Envy is a widespread global phenomenon. Envy can harm the individual, the work environment, and nursing care. However, the relationships between self-efficacy and envy have not been adequately explored in the nursing context.

Methods: This study was conducted as a cross-sectional descriptive study. The study sample consisted of 361 nurses working in a university hospital in a province of Türkiye. The research model was analyzed using structural equation modeling. The participants were selected using convenience sampling. This study was reported using the STROBE checklist for cross-sectional studies.

Results: Nurses' educational status affected their self-efficacy. No other personal characteristics influenced self-efficacy and envy. There was a positive relationship between malicious and benign envy. As nurses' self-efficacy increased, malicious envy decreased and benign envy increased.

Conclusions: The results of this study showed that nurses' education level affected self-efficacy, and self-efficacy level affected envy, and malicious envy could be reduced by improving nurses' self-efficacy.

Implications for nursing and health policy: Nursing managers and policymakers should support nursing education at the minimum undergraduate level, encourage nurses to continue their professional education to improve their self-efficacy, and provide training to increase their self-efficacy.