Mediating effects of workplace mindfulness in nurses' performance and workplace violence

Objective To evaluate the status of nursing workplace violence experience and work performance, and analyze the mediating effects of workplace mindfulness between nurses' performance and workplace violence experience. Methods The convenience sampling method was used. From March to May 2016, the Workplace Violence Questionnaire, Job Performance Scale, and Workplace Mindfulness Scale were used to investigate workplace violence, work performance, and workplace mindfulness encountered by 776 nurses in eight provinces of China. Correlation analysis and mediation effect analysis methods are used to analyze the relationship between the three, and the mediating effects of workplace mindfulness. Results A total of 776 questionnaires were collected and 696 valid questionnaires. The Workplace Violence Questionnaire Score of 696 nurses was (1.21±0.78) , the score of Workplace Mindfulness Scale was (4.74±0.63) , and the score of Job Performance Scale was (3.77±0.96) . Pearson correlation analysis showed that nurses' work performance was positively correlated with workplace mindfulness (r=0.235, P<0.01) ; nursing workplace violence was associated with work performance (r=-0.098, P<0.05) , and workplace mindfulness (r=-0.217, P<0.01) was negatively correlated with nursing workplace violence. The total effect of workplace violence on job performance was (β=-0.130 6, P<0.01) . Workplace mindfulness played a mediating role between the two, and the mediating effect was -0.067 5. Conclusions Violence experienced by patients and their families in the workplace can undermine nurses' professional immersion, alertness, and organizational acceptance levels, thereby restricting the performance of nursing work. Increasing the training of nurses in the prevention of violence and interventions in response to violence are of great significance. Key words: Nurses; Workplace violence; Job performance; Workplace mindfulness; Mediating effects