“I didn’t come into nursing to be attacked and constantly abused”: A qualitative study of exposure to violence for nurses across ethnic groups in the United Kingdom

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundWorkplace violence is a serious threat to staff safety and leads to mental and physical health problems that have negative consequences for the recruitment and retention of nurses, amid the worst staffing crisis in the history of the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom.ObjectivesThis study aims to explore the social context of violence for hospital-based and community nurses from different ethnic groups, the types of violence experienced or witnessed both in and outside the workplace, and the impact of violence on mental and physical health.MethodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted online with 12 hospital-based and community nurses recruited across London. Interview data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.ResultsThe sample comprised seven hospital nurses and five community nurses. Four themes were identified from the analysis: i) the social context in which nurses from different ethnic groups are exposed to community violence; ii) the types of workplace violence experienced or witnessed by hospital-based and community nurses from different ethnic groups; iii) nurses’ perceptions of the factors contributing to workplace violence iv) how violence impacts mental and physical health outcomes for hospital-based and community nurses from different ethnic groups. Based on the social ecological framework and the sociological theory of stress, we have used these findings to present a conceptual stress process model of violence exposure for nurses.ConclusionsHospital-based and community nurses from different ethnic groups are exposed to violence both in and outside the workplace which negatively affects their mental and physical health. Whilst interventions aimed at improving personal safety and security measures in hospitals are valuable, interventions to address the social and institutional factors that put nurses at risk of violence exposure are needed. Further research using wider criteria for violence to include witnessing and hearing about violent events are needed to advance our understanding of how nurses are affected by multiple sources and types of violence in both their work and personal lives.What is already knownWorkplace violence is widespread and can lead to mental and physical health problems for healthcare staff.Nurses are one of the occupational groups most vulnerable to workplace violence and are consistently in short supply.What this paper addsFindings informed the development of a conceptual stress process model of violence exposure for nurses.Nurses perceived their gender, age and ethnicity as contributing factors to workplace violence.Witnessing or experiencing violence both in and outside the workplace has serious negative consequences at the individual and organisational levels.