Inpatient Nurses' Perception of Workplace Violence Based on Specialty

Abstract

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of inpatient nursing specialties on the perceptions of workplace violence. BACKGROUND The association between nursing specialty and the perception of workplace violence has not been identified. METHODS An evaluation of inpatient nurses’ perceptions of workplace violence at a single health system was conducted using a modified Survey of Violence Experienced by Staff instrument. RESULTS Of the respondents, 87.2% experienced workplace violence, of which 96.3% was patient related. Patient-initiated verbal abuse, threats, and physical assault frequency differed significantly based on specialty. Post hoc comparisons further elucidate the differences in specialty populations. CONCLUSION Workplace violence is a nursing concern; however, the frequency in which workplace violence occurs differs based on specialty. The frequency of threats and injuries to nursing staff was significantly higher in medical and trauma units.

Prevalence, characteristics, and consequences of verbal and physical violence against healthcare staff in Chinese hospitals during 2010–2020

“…This study found that security personnel suffered most WPV (42.4%), followed by nurses (32.4%) and doctors (25.4%), which chiefly aligns with previous literature, 12 , 13 suggesting that nurses are more likely to be the victims of WPV than doctors. In this study, security personnel accounted for the largest proportion of victims of WPV, which is at odds with previous sporadic reports where security personnel was being attacked.…”

Workplace violence against doctors in China: A case analysis of the Civil Aviation General Hospital incident

“…However, there is no workplace or occupational category that does not face this risk ( 4 ). Generally speaking, nurses are more vulnerable to verbal violence than doctors ( 20 ), but doctors are more often victims of physical violence in the workplace ( 21 ). As doctors are the designers and practitioners of medical diagnosis and treatment programs, if patients and their families are dissatisfied with the medical procedures, results or quality, doctors are most likely to be the targets of WPV.…”

Is there a role for ethics in addressing healthcare incivility?

“…9,10 Studies of non-psychiatric healthcare settings reveal that nurses, patient care technicians (PCTs), physicians, and trainees all report increases in verbal and physical abuse, with nurses and PCTs experiencing the highest rates of victimization. 7,[11][12][13] Incivility is an ethical issue It is beyond the scope of this paper to comprehensively analyze the societal underpinnings for this increase in incivility. Popular media hypothesize stress, substance use, and COVID-19 pandemic fatigue as possible factors.…”

“…Historically, clinicians have commonly disregarded or overlooked their patients' or caregivers' behavior for the sake of professionalism. 15 Many are reluctant to complain, 20 believing that experiencing such behaviors is a rite of passage, 28 that infractions can be handled internally without assistance, 12 or that reporting is voluntary. 29 Moreover, many staff possess limited knowledge of reportable event criteria.…”