Violence and Job Satisfaction of Nurses: Importance of a Support Network in Healthcare

Abstract

Employees in the healthcare sector are the professionals who are the most exposed to violence. The severity of its consequences makes it necessary to inquire into its effects and associated factors. The objective of this study was to analyze the relationship between violence toward nursing staff and job satisfaction, and to find out the mediating role of social support in this relationship. The sample was made up of 1,357 nurses aged 22 to 58, who were administered the Negative Acts Questionnaire, Healthcare-Workers Aggressive Behaviour Scale-Users, Brief Perceived Social Support Questionnaire, and Overall Job Satisfaction. The results showed that violence and bullying by coworkers, users, family members, or other people accompanying the patient had a direct negative effect on internal and external job satisfaction, and this effect was mediated by perceived social support. These outcomes suggest the need to stimulate a firm healthcare support network to improve nurses’ job satisfaction by buffering the adverse effects of workplace violence.