Occupational Violence against Brazilian Nurses

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Public Health
• Occupational Safety

Background:

• Workplace violence is a significant concern for healthcare professionals globally.
• Brazilian nurses in primary care settings face unique challenges and risks.
• Understanding the prevalence and contributing factors is crucial for intervention development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of workplace violence against nurses in Brazilian primary care.
• To identify the risk factors associated with occupational violence experienced by these nurses.
• To characterize the types and perpetrators of violence encountered.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study was conducted with 112 nurses from Family Primary Care Units and Primary Care Health Centers in Brazil.
• Nurses completed a questionnaire on socio-demographics, professional routine, and experienced occupational violence.
• Data were analyzed using SPSS software to identify prevalence, types, perpetrators, and risk factors.

Main Results:

• A high prevalence of workplace violence (73.2%) was reported among Brazilian nurses.
• Verbal violence (67.0%) was most common, primarily perpetrated by patients and caregivers.
• Psychological harassment (bullying) was perpetrated by team leaders and other health professionals; lack of safety and patient aggression were key risk factors.

Conclusions:

• Occupational violence is highly prevalent in Brazilian primary health care nurses.
• Verbal violence, often from patients, is the most frequent type.
• Inadequate workplace safety is the primary risk factor for occupational violence experienced by nurses.