Reporting of workplace violence towards nurses in 5 European countries – a cross-sectional study
Objectives This study aimed to assess country-specific evidence of physical and non-physical acts of workplace violence towards nurses working in the health sector in 5 European countries, and then to identify reasons for not reporting violence experienced at work. Material and Methods This retrosp...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine
2020-04-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.journalssystem.com/ijomeh/Reporting-of-workplace-violence-toward-nurses-in-five-European-countries-a-cross,117690,0,2.html |
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| author | Beata Babiarczyk Agnieszka Turbiarz Martina Tomagová Renáta Zeleníková Ebru Önler David Sancho Cantus |
| author_facet | Beata Babiarczyk Agnieszka Turbiarz Martina Tomagová Renáta Zeleníková Ebru Önler David Sancho Cantus |
| author_sort | Beata Babiarczyk |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives
This study aimed to assess country-specific evidence of physical and non-physical acts of workplace violence towards nurses working in
the health sector in 5 European countries, and then to identify reasons for not reporting violence experienced at work.
Material and Methods
This
retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted in 5 participating countries (Poland, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, Turkey, and Spain).
All registered nurses working in selected healthcare settings for at least 1 year were invited to participate in the study. A questionnaire adapted from
the Workplace Violence in the Health Sector Country Case Study – Questionnaire , developed jointly by the International Labour Office, the International
Council of Nurses, the World Health Organization and Public Services International, was used. The selection of healthcare settings and the distribution
of the questionnaire were conducted according to the recommendations of the questionnaire authors.
Results
In total, 1089 nurses submitted
completed questionnaires which could be included in the study. Of these, 54% stated that they had been exposed to non-physical violence and 20%
had been exposed to physical violent acts. A total of 15% of the surveyed nurses experienced both forms of workplace violence. In addition, 18% of
the respondents confirmed having witnessed physical violence in their workplace. The most common perpetrators were patients and patients’ relatives.
In about 70% of these cases, no actions were taken after the act of violence to investigate its causes. About half of the study group did not report
workplace violence as they believed it was useless or not important. The most common consequences of workplace violence included being “superalert”
or watchful and on guard.
Conclusions
Nurses internationally are both victims of and witnesses to workplace violence. Workplace violence is
often seen by nurses as an occupational hazard and, as such, it remains not reported. The first step in preventing workplace violence is not only to
acknowledge its existence but also to ensure the appropriate reporting of violent acts. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2020;33(3):325–38 |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T04:43:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e5c9f43af7e74e6fbf7abb1454519b68 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1232-1087 1896-494X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T04:43:33Z |
| publishDate | 2020-04-01 |
| publisher | Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-e5c9f43af7e74e6fbf7abb1454519b682022-12-22T02:01:48ZengNofer Institute of Occupational MedicineInternational Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health1232-10871896-494X2020-04-0133332533810.13075/ijomeh.1896.01475117690Reporting of workplace violence towards nurses in 5 European countries – a cross-sectional studyBeata Babiarczyk0Agnieszka Turbiarz1Martina Tomagová2Renáta Zeleníková3Ebru Önler4David Sancho Cantus5University of Bielsko-Biala, Bielsko-Biała, Poland (Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing)Slettebakken Menighets Eldresenter, Bergen, NorwayComenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovak Republic (Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Department of Nursing)University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic (Faculty of Medicine, Department of Nursing and Midwifery)Namik Kemal University, Tekirdağ, Turkey (School of Health, Department of Nursing)Universidad Católica de Valencia, Valencia, Spain (Faculty of Nursing)Objectives This study aimed to assess country-specific evidence of physical and non-physical acts of workplace violence towards nurses working in the health sector in 5 European countries, and then to identify reasons for not reporting violence experienced at work. Material and Methods This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted in 5 participating countries (Poland, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, Turkey, and Spain). All registered nurses working in selected healthcare settings for at least 1 year were invited to participate in the study. A questionnaire adapted from the Workplace Violence in the Health Sector Country Case Study – Questionnaire , developed jointly by the International Labour Office, the International Council of Nurses, the World Health Organization and Public Services International, was used. The selection of healthcare settings and the distribution of the questionnaire were conducted according to the recommendations of the questionnaire authors. Results In total, 1089 nurses submitted completed questionnaires which could be included in the study. Of these, 54% stated that they had been exposed to non-physical violence and 20% had been exposed to physical violent acts. A total of 15% of the surveyed nurses experienced both forms of workplace violence. In addition, 18% of the respondents confirmed having witnessed physical violence in their workplace. The most common perpetrators were patients and patients’ relatives. In about 70% of these cases, no actions were taken after the act of violence to investigate its causes. About half of the study group did not report workplace violence as they believed it was useless or not important. The most common consequences of workplace violence included being “superalert” or watchful and on guard. Conclusions Nurses internationally are both victims of and witnesses to workplace violence. Workplace violence is often seen by nurses as an occupational hazard and, as such, it remains not reported. The first step in preventing workplace violence is not only to acknowledge its existence but also to ensure the appropriate reporting of violent acts. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2020;33(3):325–38http://www.journalssystem.com/ijomeh/Reporting-of-workplace-violence-toward-nurses-in-five-European-countries-a-cross,117690,0,2.htmloccupational healthnursephysical violenceperpetratorsverbal abusereasons for non-reporting |
| spellingShingle | Beata Babiarczyk Agnieszka Turbiarz Martina Tomagová Renáta Zeleníková Ebru Önler David Sancho Cantus Reporting of workplace violence towards nurses in 5 European countries – a cross-sectional study International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health occupational health nurse physical violence perpetrators verbal abuse reasons for non-reporting |
| title | Reporting of workplace violence towards nurses in 5 European countries – a cross-sectional study |
| title_full | Reporting of workplace violence towards nurses in 5 European countries – a cross-sectional study |
| title_fullStr | Reporting of workplace violence towards nurses in 5 European countries – a cross-sectional study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reporting of workplace violence towards nurses in 5 European countries – a cross-sectional study |
| title_short | Reporting of workplace violence towards nurses in 5 European countries – a cross-sectional study |
| title_sort | reporting of workplace violence towards nurses in 5 european countries a cross sectional study |
| topic | occupational health nurse physical violence perpetrators verbal abuse reasons for non-reporting |
| url | http://www.journalssystem.com/ijomeh/Reporting-of-workplace-violence-toward-nurses-in-five-European-countries-a-cross,117690,0,2.html |
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