Effects of verbal violence on job satisfaction, work engagement and the mediating role of emotional exhaustion among healthcare workers: a cross-sectional survey conducted in Chinese tertiary public hospitals

Abstract

ObjectiveRecently, Chinese ministries and commissions have issued a series of policies and systems in response to violent injuries to doctors, physical violence have been managed to a certain extent. However, verbal violence has not been deterred and is still prevalent, it has not received appropriate attention. This study thus aimed to assess the impact of verbal violence on the organisational level and identify its risk factors among healthcare workers, so as to provide practical methods for verbal violence reduction and treatment of the complete period.MethodsSix tertiary public hospitals were selected in three provinces (cities) in China. After excluding physical and sexual violence, a total of 1567 remaining samples were included in this study. Descriptive, univariate, Pearson correlation and mediated regression analyses were employed to assess the difference between the variables, emotional responses of healthcare workers to verbal violence and the relationship between verbal violence and emotional exhaustion, job satisfaction, and work engagement.ResultsNearly half of the healthcare workers in China’s tertiary public hospitals experienced verbal violence last year. Healthcare workers who experienced verbal violence had strong emotional response. The exposure of healthcare workers to verbal violence significantly positively predicted the emotional exhaustion (r=0.20, p<0.01), significantly negatively predicted job satisfaction (r=−0.17, p<0.01) and work engagement (r=−0.18, p<0.01), but was not associated with turnover intention. Emotional exhaustion partially mediated the effects of verbal violence on job satisfaction and work engagement.ConclusionsThe results indicate that the incidence of workplace verbal violence in tertiary public hospitals in China is high and cannot be ignored. This study is to demonstrate the organisational-level impact of verbal violence experienced by healthcare workers and to propose training solutions to help healthcare workers reduce the frequency and mitigate the impact of verbal violence.

Correlates of verbal abuse among health workers in Greater Accra, Ghana: a cross-sectional study

“…This estimate aligns closely with the results of a global systematic review, which found that 57.6% of healthcare workers experienced verbal abuse in the past year (19). In a similar study in China, more than a third (35.5%) the healthcare workers in tertiary public experienced verbal violence in the preceding year (20). The prevalence of verbal abuse among health workers is consistently high due to several factors.…”

“…The prevalence of verbal abuse among health workers is consistently high due to several factors. First, the nature of the healthcare profession, which involves direct contact with patients and their families, can lead to heightened emotions and stress, increasing the likelihood of verbal abuse (20,21). Additionally, the hierarchical structure within healthcare organizations can contribute to power imbalances and create an environment where verbal abuse is more likely to occur, particularly targeting new or junior staff members (22).…”

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The relationship between role ambiguity, emotional exhaustion and work alienation among chinese nurses two years after COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

“…In our study, nurses’ emotional exhaustion was at a moderately high level, slightly higher than in Yang’s findings [ 47 ]. It may be caused by the following: (1) The 72.6% of married nurses in this study, during the COVID-19 epidemic, had high job demands, worked long hours in a cordoned off environment, worked endless shifts and had difficulty balancing work-family and may have been highly emotionally internalized, leading to emotional exhaustion [ 48 ]; (2) Inadequate staffing, cancellation of breaks or coming to work even when sick, unsafe working environment, lack of support from work resources, resulted in the nurses’ frustration and disillusion with their work [ 49 ]; (3) Related research points out that COVID-19-related fear, panic, misinformation and misdirected anger can all lead to workplace violence, and that workplace violence damages nurses’ mental health with negative emotions such as anxiety and depression, increasing ego depletion and causing nurses to experience emotional exhaustion [ 50 , 51 ] .…”