[Nurse violence in the workplace: a study of experiences and related factors in Taiwan]

Workplace violence is an issue that recognizes no national boundaries. Nurses face a higher than average level of violence in the healthcare institutions in which they work.

The purpose of this study was to explore the prevalence of workplace violence and its related factors amongst nurses in healthcare settings in Taiwan.

A cross-sectional study using a convenience sampling technique was conducted. A total of 1,000 questionnaires were distributed, with 525 valid returns received.

Results showed that 294 (56%) nurses reported having experienced physical violence. One hundred and three nurses (19.6%) reported experiencing psychological violence and 271 reported experiencing verbal abuse (51.6%). Factors found in this study to have a significant relationship with violence included age, gender, education background, job seniority and work shift status. The most significant groups of violence perpetrators were, in order of importance, patients, patient families/relatives, and co-workers. Despite the high prevalence of violence at healthcare institutions, only 198 (37.7%) participants agreed that their workplace had established violence reporting guidelines.

Results provide specific data and insights into the prevalence of workplace violence faced by nurses in Taiwan. These findings may help nursing administrators, educators and healthcare managers prevent, reduce, and control such incidents in the future.