Violence in the nursing workplace – a descriptive correlational study in a public hospital

Aims and objectives. To explore the prevalence, types and sources of violence in the nursing workplace and to assess the factors related to violence. Background. Workplace violence in nursing is not a new phenomenon; in recent years, much more attention has been paid to the issue in Taiwan. Few studies, however, have investigated the overall distribution of violence and the reasons for not reporting these incidents in nursing workplaces. Design. This descriptive, correlational study used structured questionnaires to collecting information about workplace violence experienced by nurses over the last year. Methods. Nurses (n = 880) working in a public hospital in southern Taiwan were invited to complete the questionnaires, with a response rate of 89·9%. Results. Nurses working in outpatient units and emergency rooms experienced more frequent violence than those on surgical wards and intensive care units. Conclusion. These findings provide evidence of workplace violence in hospitals and may aid hospital and nursing administration to reduce and control violence. Relevance to nursing practice. These results provide evidence in relation to the importance of effective communication training to nurses and will assist hospital administrations in establishing higher‐quality, healthy workplace environments.