Asian Pacific Journal of Nursing

A RESEARCH ON PROBLEMS OF NURSES - WORK PLACE VIOLENCE IN INDIA

Padma sree Potru1*, Srivani G2, Suma Priya D2, Swaroopa Rani. Ch.3, Harsha G4

Nurses problems, work place violence, work is wors

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“Work is Worship”, we struggle for our existence and this should be enjoyable and fulfilling especially in health care organizations nurses and physicians spend long hours with their patients and family members who want quality care. No matter too much of care result into threat like “too much of familiarity brads contempt”. Mostly diverse group of people set up in the health care organization. Hence they need lot of understanding towards their staff and patients because it will affect their behaviors with people in work place. The 2008 international survey revealed that 22 of 1000 nurses are victims of various forms of violence. India is the second largest country in population. Economically it has increased a lot than before. Health care is also growing with it. Even violence is also increasing with this. Even it has become very common is health care organizations. Nurses are significant population in hospitals. They play vital role in the lives of the patients. Their presence in stressful situations such as accidents, death, waiting to visit a doctor or transfer of patient towards etc. They face a lot of abuses from the patients, like harsh behavior and physical violence. Whereas in private there was significant association with religion (χ²=22.189, p=0.008), educational level (χ²=25.751, p=0.002) (21) having a bachelors degree or higher in nursing was associated with a decreased likelihood of reporting abuse. Significant association was found with designation (χ²=34.517, p=0.011), type of employment (χ²=44.717, p=0.00) and experience (χ²=28.34, p=0.00). This reveals less education level, lower designation, temporarily employed nurses are more prone for Work Place Violence. As lateral violence is most commonly seen in this study senior nurses abuse the nurses who are temporary as they cant retart against them, their subordinates who usually will be submissive. Less experience nurses fear more and they are prone for Work Place Violence when compared to experience nurses as they know how to handle the situation and what to do against violence at work place. The study concluded that both the respondent nurses experienced mild work place violence. The major perpetrators of work place violence were patient and patient relatives. It is because of the illness in the family they become aggressive and get depressed as the prognosis of the disease was in dilemma. The common emotions experienced by the nurses are sadness, anger and disappointment. The lateral violence and work place violence can be reduced by the development and implementation of specific policies, procedures and staff education programmes. Measures to protect the nurses includes the use of onsite security personnel’s, police officers, and surveillance cameras. Comprehensive work place violence prevention plans should be implemented and evaluated in every department