ICPHSP4014

                                                                                                         

 “Workplace Violence and its Impact on the Nurses Health”                                                                                                                        Click here to download Pdf file. 

 

 

Authors:       1Juljana Xhindoli, RN, MSN; 2Elizana Petrela PhD , Ass. Prof.

                

Affiliations:  1.Department of Mother&Child Care, Faculty of Public Health, University “Ismail Qemali”

                     2. Faculty of Public Health, University of Medicine, Tirana, Albania

 

 

Abstract:

Background. Workplace Violence -physical or psychological–constitutes a global problem which has gone beyond boundaries, the work quotations and the professional groups.(1) The providers of health care are the subjects of a specially dangerous risk at their workplace, especially nurses( 2,3,4,5,6,7.) The sector of health care constitutes almost ¼ of all workplace violence. (Nordin, H.,1995). The European data show that the percentage of health care workers consider their health and security in danger for the reason of their job and it is higher than the average of all the sectors of EU. The psychosocial risks at work include violence at workplace and working on shifts.

 

Objective of this study is to analyze the impact of workplace violence on the health of the nurses that work at Vlora regional hospital.

 

Methodology: This cross sectional study was conducted during the time period of August-September 2013. We used the statistical programme SPSS 17.0 to analyze the data acquired from 250 anonymous self administered questionnaires in all the wards of the hospital.

 

Results: The level of concern toward the work related violence is 55% of the health care professionals of the hospital. During the last 12 months 28.8% of them were physically threatened some times, and verbally 54.5% of them. 11.4 % needed medical attention and 10.2 % needed days of work. They reported that as a result of the violence: 33% have concerned memories, thoughts or attack images; 16.8% are super vigilant since the attack; 16% declare no problem after; 5.3% avoid talking or thinking about the violence experienced.

 

Conclusions: The physical and verbal violence level in our institutions is really high. The procedures for work related violence reporting do not exist. The consequences bring a negative effect on the nurse’s health. The perception of this phenomenon from the nursing staff is not considered as violence but as a concern of the family members for their relatives’ health. The verbal violence is not considered as such as it has become a routine part of their work.

 

Key words:

workplace violence, nurses’ health, violence impact

 

 

References

1. International Labour Office/International Council of Nurses/World Health Organization/Public Services International “Framework Guidelines for Addressing Workplace Violence in the Health Sector” Geneva, International Labour Office, 2002. ISBN 92-2-113446-6: 4-5

2. Aiken LH, Clarke SP, Sloane DM, et al. Nurses’ reports on hospital care in five countries. Health Affairs 2001; 20(3): 43-53.

3. Chapman R, Styles I. An epidemic of abuse and violence: nurse on the front line. Accident and Emergency Nursing 2006; 14(4): 245-9.

4. Di Martino V. Workplace Violence in the Health Sector. Country Case Studies. Geneva: International Labour Office, International Council of Nurses, World Health Organization and Public Services International, 2002. Available at: http://www.icn.ch/SynthesisReportWorkplace ViolenceHealthSector.pdf January 17, 2008 Hewitt JB, Levin PF. Violence in the workplace. Annual Review of Nursing Research 1997; 15: 81-99.

5. International Council of Nurses. Violence: A World-wide Epidemic (Fact Sheet) Geneva: International Council of Nurses, 2004. Available at: http:// www.icn.ch/matters_violence.htm. Accessed January 17, 2008.

6. McPhaul KM, Lipscomb JA. Workplace violence in health care: recognized but not regulated. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing 2004; 9(3):