From admiration to retribution: the mediating role of nurses' vengeful behaviors in the link between nurse managers' narcissism and nurses' counterproductive work behaviors.

Background: Constructive works by nurse managers are thought to affect nurses' profession, satisfaction with work, and engagement with the healthcare organization. instead, it has been shown that the negative behavior of nurse supervisors, such as narcissism, has impacted the psychological health of the nurses and caused them to engage in counterproductive behavior (CWB). Hence, this study aims to determine the influence of the mediating role of nurses' vengeful behaviors in the link between nurse managers' narcissism and nurses' counterproductive work behaviors.

Methods: A descriptive correlational study was conducted in an Egyptian hospital. A convenient sample of staff nurses (N = 400) who agreed to participate in the study answered the narcissistic admiration and rivalry questionnaire (NARQ), counterproductive work behaviors, and nurses' counterproductive work behaviors questionnaires, which were proven to be valid and reliable study measures. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied, and relationships were presented using a path model.

Ethical Considerations: Ethics Committee approval, written informed consent, data privacy and confidentiality, and participants' rights to voluntary participation and withdrawal were maintained.

Results: Vengeful behaviors (B = 0.191, β = 0.137, t = 2.768, p < 0.001) and unproductive work behaviors (B = 0.099, β = 0.231, t = 4.654, p < 0.001) were substantially predicted by narcissistic adoration and rivalry. Of the variance in CWBs, 8.4% was explained by the model. Vengeful behaviors' mediating role was validated by path analysis, and the model fit the data well (e.g., CFI = 0.95, RMSEA = 0.04).

Conclusion: The narcissism of nurse supervisors fuels the retaliatory and ineffective actions of staff nurses. Reducing toxic leadership attributes may improve corporate outcomes and decrease workplace deviance.

Nursing Implications: Nurse supervisors should receive training in emotional intelligence and ethical leadership from healthcare institutions. The quality of patient treatment and worker satisfaction may both be improved by fostering a friendly and open work environment. Future studies should examine long-term effects and evaluate strategies to lessen negative leadership traits.

Clinical Trial Number: Not applicable.