IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bjf/journl/v11y2026i3p178-192.html

Perception on Whistleblowing on the Ethical Climate in the Workplace among Nurses in a Government Hospital

Author

Listed:
  • Odette M. Mantilla

    (Graduate School of Allied Health Sciences, University of the Visayas)

  • Joan P. Bacarisas

    (Graduate School of Allied Health Sciences, University of the Visayas)

Abstract

Whistleblowing plays a critical role in ensuring ethical standards and patient safety within healthcare institutions. Nurses, being frontline providers, are in a vital position to report unethical behavior; however, their willingness to whistleblow is influenced by the prevailing ethical climate in the workplace. Despite increasing awareness of ethical concerns in nursing practice, limited studies in the Philippine context, particularly in government hospital settings, have investigated the relationship between nurses’ perceptions of whistleblowing and the ethical climate. This study aimed to determine the relationship between the nurses’ demographic profile, their perception of whistleblowing, and the ethical climate in a government hospital. A quantitative descriptive-correlational design was utilized. Total enumeration sampling was employed, involving 151 staff nurses who met the inclusion criteria. Data were collected using two standardized instruments: the Whistleblowing Questionnaire adapted from Park et al. (2020) and the Ethical Climate Questionnaire adapted from Victor and Cullen (1988). Descriptive statistics summarized the levels of whistleblowing and ethical climate, while Pearson’s r and Chi-square tests assessed relationships among variables. Results revealed that nurses perceived a high level of both whistleblowing and ethical climate. Significant relationships were found between area of assignment and both variables. A moderate positive correlation was observed between whistleblowing perception and ethical climate. These findings affirm the relevance of the Theory of Planned Behavior and Ethical Climate Theory in understanding nurses’ ethical actions. To address these insights, a Whistleblowing and Ethical Climate Enhancement Plan was proposed.

Suggested Citation

  • Odette M. Mantilla & Joan P. Bacarisas, 2026. "Perception on Whistleblowing on the Ethical Climate in the Workplace among Nurses in a Government Hospital," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Applied Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Applied Science (IJRIAS), vol. 11(3), pages 178-192, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bjf:journl:v:11:y:2026:i:3:p:178-192
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijrias/uploads/vol11-iss3-pg178-192-202603_pdf.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijrias/view/perception-on-whistleblowing-on-the-ethical-climate-in-the-workplace-among-nurses-in-a-government-hospital/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nadzri Ab Ghani & Jaya Kumar Shanmugam, 2025. "Millennial Ethics in Motion: A Conceptual Framework Linking Ethical Reasoning, Ethics Training, and Whistleblowing Intentions," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 9(9), pages 688-697, September.
    2. Lilian Otaye-Ebede & Samah Shaffakat & Scott Foster, 2020. "A Multilevel Model Examining the Relationships Between Workplace Spirituality, Ethical Climate and Outcomes: A Social Cognitive Theory Perspective," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 166(3), pages 611-626, October.
    3. Aca, Zeynep & Kırcal-Şahin, Arzu & Özdemir, Akın & Kaymakcı, Yavuz Selim, 2025. "Gender stereotypes and professional experiences of female nurses in Türkiye," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 127233, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    4. Maria Krambia-Kapardis, 2020. "An exploratory empirical study of whistleblowing and whistleblowers," Journal of Financial Crime, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 27(3), pages 755-770, May.
    5. Hengky Latan & Charbel Jose Chiappetta Jabbour & Murad Ali & Ana Beatriz Lopes de Sousa Jabbour & Tan Vo-Thanh, 2023. "What Makes You a Whistleblower? A Multi-Country Field Study on the Determinants of the Intention to Report Wrongdoing," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 183(3), pages 885-905, March.
    6. repec:eme:ijlma0:ijlma-02-2019-0038 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Irzan Bin Ismail & Noorazura Durani & Wan Azfarozza Wan Athmar & Mohamad Idham Md Razak & Helmy Fadlisham Abu Hassan, 2023. "Examining Relationships between Employees’ Attributes and Act of Whistleblowing," Information Management and Business Review, AMH International, vol. 15(4), pages 49-58.
    8. Hengky Latan & Charbel Jose Chiappetta Jabbour & Murad Ali & Ana Beatriz Lopes De Sousa Jabbour & Tan Vo-Thanh, 2023. "What Makes You a Whistleblower? A Multi-Country Field Study on the Determinants of the Intention to Report Wrongdoing," Post-Print hal-04275088, HAL.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Supendi Supendi & Agus Ismaya Hasanudin & Helmi Yazid & Ewing Yuvisa Ibrani, 2023. "Exploring Whistleblowing Trends Through Bibliometric Analysis: A Global Perspective," Indian Journal of Corporate Governance, , vol. 16(2), pages 240-271, December.
    2. Irina Heim & Lilya Mergaliyeva, 2025. "Organizational Wrongdoing within the Context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals: An Integrative Review," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 198(3), pages 615-635, May.
    3. Liu, Dewen & Han, Shenghao & Zhang, Jieqiong, 2022. "The golden mean: Research on the mechanism of customer participation in employee service innovation," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    4. Richa Chaudhary & Anupriya Singh & Shalini Srivastava, 2024. "Does Workplace Spirituality Promote Ethical Voice: Examining the Mediating Effect of Psychological Ownership and Moderating Influence of Moral Identity," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 195(4), pages 779-797, December.
    5. Wang, Juehui & Chieh Chen, Chih & Shen, Tao & Fan, Fan & Fosh, Patricia & Guo, Yuxuan, 2024. "Family matters! Antecedents and boundary conditions of unethical pro-family behaviors," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    6. Vaishali Gupta & Monika Arora, 2025. "Green Human Resource Management and Its Sustainable Organizational Practices in Hospitality Industry in India," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 16(2), pages 7665-7687, June.
    7. Teresa Turzo, 2025. "Corporate social responsibility and spirituality: emerging paradigms and a future research agenda," International Journal of Corporate Social Responsibility, Springer, vol. 10(1), pages 1-16, December.
    8. Marlond Antunez & Nelson Ramalho & Tânia M. G. Marques, 2024. "Context Matters Less Than Leadership in Preventing Unethical Behaviour in International Business," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 192(2), pages 307-322, June.
    9. Vikram Singh Chouhan, 2026. "Examining Relationship of Workplace Spirituality with Work Engagement, Organizational Commitment and Trust," Vikalpa: The Journal for Decision Makers, , vol. 51(1), pages 39-57, March.
    10. Ribhan & Albet Maydiantoro, 2021. "The Analysis of Cognitive Moral in Bridging the Gap Between Internal Marketing and B2B Salespeople Performance," Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, Richtmann Publishing Ltd, vol. 10, September.
    11. Zhen Chen & Zixin Tang, 2024. "The effect of caring ethical climate on employees’ knowledge-hiding behavior: evidence from Chinese construction firms," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-13, December.
    12. Isabella LUCUÈš CAPRAÅž & Monica Violeta ACHIM, 2024. "Protection Of Whistleblowers In The Eu And Adoption Of Directive (Eu) 2019/1937," Annales Universitatis Apulensis Series Oeconomica, Faculty of Sciences, "1 Decembrie 1918" University, Alba Iulia, vol. 1(26), pages 1-4.
    13. Shih-Hao Wu & Stephen Chi-Tsun Huang & Ching-Yi Daphne Tsai & Yu-Xuan You, 2026. "Enhancing the Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility on Organizational Citizenship Behaviour: Unveiling Key Mediators and their Sequential Effects," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 17(2), pages 4926-4948, April.
    14. Oliver Nnamdi Okafor, 2023. "Shaming of Tax Evaders: Empirical Evidence on Perceptions of Retributive Justice and Tax Compliance Intentions," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 182(2), pages 377-395, January.
    15. Yiming Wang & Yuhua Xie & Mingwei Liu & Yongxing Guo & Duojun He, 2024. "Silent Majority: How Employees’ Perceptions of Corporate Hypocrisy are Related to their Silence," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 195(2), pages 315-334, November.
    16. Mai Chi Vu & Nicholas Burton, 2022. "Bring Your Non-self to Work? The Interaction Between Self-decentralization and Moral Reasoning," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 181(2), pages 427-449, November.
    17. Richelito P. Maagad & Nestor C. Nabe, 2022. "Workplace Spirituality and Work Values of Philippine National Police Personnel in Davao City," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 6(3), pages 123-131, March.
    18. I Gusti Ngurah Sanjaya & Anak Agung Bagus Amlayasa & Ni Wayan Sitiari, 2026. "Ethical Behaviour: Improving Auditor Performance Through Workplace Spirituality and Local Cultural Values – Evidence from Village Credit Institutions in Denpasar, Indonesia," Economic Studies journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 2, pages 46-65.
    19. Yaopan Yang & Songsong Li & Daquan Gao & Jin Wang, 2025. "Hold up an umbrella on rainy days: the insurance-like effects of brand equity and corporate social responsibility during Chinese product-harm crises," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-12, December.
    20. Arindam Das & Dimple Grover, 2022. "Ethical climates in South Asian Organizations: empirical findings from India," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 2(6), pages 1-26, June.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bjf:journl:v:11:y:2026:i:3:p:178-192. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Dr. Renu Malsaria (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijrias/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.