Relationship between Workplace Violence against Nurses and Intention to Turnover

Research Abstract

Summary Violence, pervasive in nursing workplace, exerts long-term negative effects on nursing work, Workplace violence refers to a series of behaviors characterized using one’s body or tools to threaten working staff or a group in the workplace, which results in psychological harm, physical injury, deformity or even death. The occurrence of WPV may also affect the staff’s well-being including post-traumatic symptoms, fear, work-related stress, anxiety, blame and feeling insulted, WPV can increase nurses’ turnover intention (Zhao et al., 2018). Also, Coetzee & van Dyk, (2018) stated that the association between workplace bullying and high turnover intention is clear. Staff turnover is a major issue for health care systems. In a time of labor shortage, it is critical to understand the motivational factors that underlie turnover intention in newly licensed nurses (Fernet et al., 2017).Nurse turnover has a negative impact on the ability to meet patient needs and provide a high quality of care, which may create more stress on other staff due to increased workloads. This can lead to critical changes in the behavior of nurses towards their jobs resulting in low work satisfaction, low productivity, and leaving the organization (Kaddourah et al., 2018). This study aimed at identifying the relationship between work place violence against nurses and intention to turnover. This descriptive correlational study was conducted in two settings (El-salaam charity hospital& Borg-Elzahraa hospital) affiliated to privet sector. (120) nursing personnel have participated in this study. Two tools were used for data collection namely; The WPV Types Questionnaire and Turnover intention Questionnaire. The WPV Types Questionnaire contain two parts, first part involve socio-demographic characteristics, second part involve question about three types of workplace violence experienced by staff nurses, as the following: - Type I Verbal and psychological violence include (14) items {ranging from criticizing nurse (Harsh criticism) to make nurse feel bad for not cooperating sexually}, Type II physical workplace violence include (9) items, Type III sexual workplace violence include (5) items. The perpetrator of WPV against nurses whether (patient, visitor, physician, nursing colleague or administrative colleague). Responses of the applicants were measured on three point likert scale as follow 3(Always), 2(Sometimes) and 1(Never). Turnover intention Questionnaire items divided into 6 items with negative statement (1, 3,6,8,9, and 10) indicate to the intention to stay in the present work setting.6 items with positive statements (2, 4, 5, 7, 11, and 12) indicate the intention to turn over the present work setting. The main study findings revealed the following:- • More than half (53.3%) belonged to Borg -Elzahraa hospital meanwhile (46.7%) belonged to El-salaam charity hospital. the majority of them (68.3%) were females; and only (31.7%) were males. Pertaining to age most of them (84.2 %) had from 20 to less than 30 years old; only were less than 20 years old were (1.7%). Concerning marital status more than half (53.3%) were married while none of them (0%) were divorced. • Slightly less than two third (63.3%) sometimes experienced screaming at face and yell. Also more than half (60%) sometimes experienced verbal attack on the professional status and image of nursing. Whilst (60.8%) sometimes experienced harsh criticism. • More than half (54.2%) were visitors as the main perpetrators of verbal and psychological violence. one third (32.5%) were patient as a perpetrators who made nurses fell guilty. • Patient constitute the main perpetrator of physical and sexual violence. • More than half (51.7%) of studied nurses experienced moderate verbal WPV, only (8.3%) experienced severe verbal WPV, while two fifth (40%) of them experienced mild verbal WPV. • Two fifths (40.8%) had an intention to turnover. While about three fifths (59.2) had no intention to turnover. There was a highly significant statistical positive correlation between exposure to workplace violence and intention to turnover. • There is a highly significant statistical positive correlation between severity of exposure to workplace violence and intention to turnover (p=0.000).There was significant statistical negative correlation between age (p=0.006) and experience (p=0.0001) and exposure to violence. In conclusion: Based on the findings of the present study it can be concluded that workplace violence &intention to turnover is a serious and prevalent problems among nurses. The majority of staff nurses at selected two privet hospitals at Beni-suef governorate were female, married, had nursing technical institution ,and had less than five years of experience within department and hospital. They had exposed to different forms of WPV (verbal-physical-sexual violence).The main perpetrators of WPV against them were patients and visitors. There was statistically significant positive correlation between WPV and intention to turnover. Meanwhile there was statistically significant negative correlation between intention to turnover and age, years of experience. Also there was statistically significant difference between intention to turnover educational level and gender. There was statistically significant negative correlation between age and experience and exposure to WPV.   Recommendations:- • Nursing managers should develop strategies to improve the work conditions of nursing staff to promote the quality of care and the retention of nursing staff. • Effective policies and an incentivized reporting system can foster a safe and friendly work environment for nurses. • Improving contemporary image of nursing through mass media raising awareness about nursing profession through concerned organizations. For further research, exploring the factors that lead to workplace violence in hospitals taking into account the taking of a larger research sample.

Research Keywords

workplace violence-intention to turnover