Mistreatment and harassment are practices that have been increasing in nursing teams working in highly complex units. OBJECTIVE. To describe the factors that influence workplace bullying and mistreatment in intensive care units. METHODOLOGY. A narrative review was carried out, where the following databases were consulted: Pubmed, Scopus, BVS, Cuiden, Science direct, and EBSCO Erin. Search strategies were established using the Boolean operators "AND" and "OR" and the following keywords: Workplace violence, nursing, nurses, ICU, mobbing and workplace harassment. The type and theme of the publication relative to the study phenomenon established the eligibility criteria. A first screening was carried out by title and abstract, and a second screening was performed based on critical reading with the use of the Critical Appraisal Skills Program in Spanish. RESULTS. Of the 12 articles selected, 92% were in English and 42% were from the United States. 3 types of factors that contribute mistreatment and workplace bullying in intensive care units were identified: personal factors, emotional factors, and factors associated with administrative management. CONCLUSION. The factors that most influence the appearance of harassment and abuse in intensive care units are those associated with administrative management, including work overload and rigid hierarchical structures.