The role of fear in the relationship between vicarious violence at work and work ability in nurses: A cross‐sectional study

Abstract

Fear is a powerful emotion that can influence future behavior. This study investigated how fear influences the relationship between vicarious violence at work and employees' work ability. This is a quantitative cross-sectional study. Self-report data were collected from 154 Portuguese nurses who completed an online survey. Statistical significance of the indirect effect was based on bias-corrected bootstrap confidence intervals. The results support the mediation model. Those who observe/hear of others being beaten or threatened experience strong affective reactions, such as fear, which in turn has a negative impact on the assessment of their work ability. We suggest that occupational safety and health programs designed to prevent violence at work take into account those who experience violence at work vicariously and include strategies and interventions focused on affective reactions to minimize the negative effects of vicarious violence at work, with benefits in employees' improved ability to work.

The association between fear of future workplace violence and depressive symptoms among nurses based on different experiences of workplace violence: a cross-sectional study

“…FFWV is an emotional response by an individual to a perceived risk of victimization in relation to WPV [ 16 ]. Researchers have paid increasing attention to the association between FFWV and work performance [ 17 , 18 ]. However, the relationship between FFWV and depressive symptoms among nurses has not been studied.…”

Aggression and burnout in nurses during COVID‐19: A cross‐sectional study

“…Thus, nurses with high levels of fear of future workplace violence show more emotional exhaustion and cynicism, and less personal accomplishment than others who are less afraid (Fu et al, 2021 ). Furthermore, not only the nurses who have been exposed directly to workplace violence, but also those who have witnessed or heard talk about it, are fearful of future aggression (Pacheco et al, 2022 ). In this sense, episodes of violence arising from the COVID‐19 pandemic have increased both the amount of violence against nurses and its perceived threat, which in turn is related to an increase in burnout (especially, the emotional exhaustion factor; Barello et al, 2020 ).…”