A study of nursing student abuse in Turkey

Because abuse negatively affects victims' physiological, psychological, and social health, the main purpose of this study was to identify the abuse experiences of nursing students in Turkey. This descriptive study used a questionnaire, administered to 225 students. Participants stated they were abused verbally (100%), academically (83.1%), sexually (53.3%), and physically (5.7%). Classmates, faculty, nurses, physicians, patients, and patients' family members were identified as sources of the abuse. First-year and second-year students experienced verbal and academic abuse less often than third-year and fourth-year students. All of the participants who experienced verbal and academic abuse felt anger toward the person who abused them. "Doing nothing" was the most common coping method among participants. Based on the results of the study, it is suggested that training on abuse be available as part of nursing school curricula. In addition, policies and procedures for reporting abuse should be developed.