The relationship of workplace violence and nurse outcomes: Gender difference study on a propensity score matched sample

Abstract

AimsTo investigate workplace violence and nurse outcomes by comparing gender differences.DesignA secondary analysis of cross‐sectional survey data.MethodsWorkplace violence was measured by four items from the International Hospital Outcome Study. Nurse outcomes were measured by tools including burnout, job satisfaction and intention to stay. We used propensity score matching to generate a sociodemographic balanced dataset of 108 male and 288 female nurses. A hypothetical relationship model was derived from the affective events theory. Comparative statistics and multi‐group structural equation modelling were conducted to analyze gender differences. Data were collected in China from December 2013 – August 2014.ResultsMale nurses reported more workplace violence from staff and less intention to stay than females. Besides finding the mediation of burnout sharing with female nurses consistent with the affective events theory, workplace violence was directly linked to less intention to stay in male nurses.ConclusionMale nurses experience more workplace violence by staff than female nurses. Besides responding emotionally to workplace violence like female nurses, male nurses also respond behaviourally.ImpactWhat problem did the study address? Gender differences in workplace violence and its relationship to nurse outcomes. What were the main findings? Male nurses experienced more workplace violence than female nurses, linked directly to less intention to stay. Workplace violence linked to less job satisfaction and intention to stay in nurses was mediated by burnout. Where and on whom will the research have impact? Gender‐based prevention of and coping with workplace violence should be included in nursing training.

The Face of Workplace Violence: Experiences of Healthcare Professionals in Surgical Hospital Wards

“…Other studies show a gender difference in the exposure of WPV, although research results are incongruent. For example, Acquadro Maran et al [24] report that female healthcare professionals were more often exposed to WPV perpetrated by patients' relatives than their male counterparts, while Li et al [25] found no significant gender differences. Edward et al [26] reported that male nurses were at higher risk to the exposure of physical violence while female nurses had a higher risk of verbal abuse.…”

Workplace violence (WPV) in healthcare systems

“…The incidence of physical WPV ranged from 4.9%–83.3% and verbal WPV from 66.2%–95.1% in the prior year among nurses (Jakobsson et al., 2020; Shi et al., 2020). Regards to association between gender and physical and verbal WPV, prior findings found are contradictory (Acquadro Maran et al., 2019; Li et al., 2020).…”

“…Although violence occurs in all workplaces, nurses, with their close contact with the patient and their relatives, are three times more likely to be at risk of violence than other healthcare personnel. WPV can change the nurses’ attitude towards the profession of nursing and reduce their motivation, quality of care and career satisfaction (Boafo, 2018; Duan et al., 2019; Li et al., 2020; Liu et al, 2018; Tian et al., 2020).…”

Examining the utility of the Violence Prevention Climate scale: In a metropolitan Australian general hospital

“…This global incidence identified in non‐mental health settings has led authors to propose that general hospital organisations prioritise workplace violence assessment and prevention measures, commensurate with mitigating its deleterious effects (Lamont & Brunero, 2018; Li et al, 2020; Pariona‐Cabrera et al, 2020; Zhang et al, 2020). Workplace violence has a significant impact on healthcare professionals safety and well‐being, both physically and psychologically (Lanctôt & Guay, 2014; Shi et al, 2017; Zafar et al, 2016).…”