Workplace violence against nurses working in emergency departments in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study
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Date
2017
Authors
Alshehri, Fuaad Ali
Editors
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Schultz, Timothy John
Foley, David C.
Foley, David C.
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Abstract
Aim: the aim of this study was to assess the prevalence, types and contributing factors of
violence against nurses in emergency departments.
Background: Violence against health care workers, especially nurses is a significant concern
for healthcare internationally. Emergency departments are considered high-risk areas in
hospitals. Violence against nurses in EDs is a serious issue that cannot be ignored.
Method: A cross-sectional study design was conducted from June to August 2016 using
convenience sample of emergency nurses in four major hospitals in Riyadh City in Saudi
Arabia. The questionnaire was adapted from Kitaneh and Hamdan (2012). Chi-Square test was
used to analyse the data.
Results: Four hundred and thirty-six emergency nurses responded to the questionnaire (a
response rate of 71.2 %). The results showed 41.7% of respondents were exposed to both
physical and non-physical violence in the workplace during the previous 12 months. The results
showed that 44.7% of respondents were exposed to physical assault, 29.5% of respondents
were exposed to threat, 88.1% of respondents were exposed to verbal abuse and 4.4% of
respondents were exposed to sexual harassment in the last 12 months. Patients (67.7%) were
identified as the most common perpetrators of physical violence, and visitors and patients’
relatives (67.1%) were identified as the most common perpetrators of non-physical violence.
The treatment room was the most common place where the physical and non-physical violence
happened. The most common factors contributing to physical violence were mental health or
psychiatric patient (38.5%) while waiting to receive service (58.9 %) contributed most to nonphysical
violence.
Conclusion: Understanding workplace violence is the first phase to develop or improve
appropriate strategies to handle this problem. Establishing and enacting suitable laws could
enhance workplace safety violence for nurses. Further research on the topic is needed.
School/Discipline
School of Nursing
Dissertation Note
Thesis (M.Nurs.Sc.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Nursing, 2017
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This electronic version is made publicly available by the University of Adelaide in accordance with its open access policy for student theses. Copyright in this thesis remains with the author. This thesis may incorporate third party material which has been used by the author pursuant to Fair Dealing exceptions. If you are the owner of any included third party copyright material you wish to be removed from this electronic version, please complete the take down form located at: http://www.adelaide.edu.au/legals