Workplace violence: Insights from nurses' lived experiences.

Abstract

Background: Workplace violence (WPV) against nurses is a growing concern within the health care industry, contributing to increased stress, burnout, and higher staff turnover.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to understand the experiences of nurses with WPV and examine the scope and impact of this violence based on nurse's recollections.

Methodology/approach: Using qualitative interpretive meta-synthesis and the job demands-resources framework, we examined patterns in nurses' experiences of WPV. Our analysis (N = 401) of nurses' accounts from diverse sources-patients, colleagues, and supervisors across various locations and health care settings-provides deep insights into WPV dynamics.

Results: Four main themes were identified: (a) it comes with the job-patient and family violence are normal, (b) a vulnerability in nurse safety, (c) sexual harassment, and (d) poor treatment within the organization.

Conclusion: WPV against nurses is a deeply ingrained issue that impacts their psychological health and job performance. A stark need for health care systems to address and mitigate WPV is evident.

Practice implications: There are clear signals that health care organizations need to implement comprehensive strategies to prevent WPV, foster a safe and supportive work environment, and equip nurses with job resources to manage the high stress of their roles.