Self-Reported Violence Experienced by Swiss Prehospital Emergency Care Providers

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Emergency Medical Services
• Criminology

Background:

• Workplace violence is a growing concern in healthcare settings, particularly in prehospital emergency care.
• Limited research exists on workplace violence experienced by prehospital emergency care providers (PECPs), especially outside English-speaking countries.
• This study addresses the under-researched area of violence against PECPs in French-speaking Switzerland.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the types and frequency of violence experienced by PECPs in Vaud, Switzerland.
• To assess the impact of workplace violence on the subsequent behaviors and security measures adopted by PECPs.
• To understand the consequences of violence on PECPs' sense of security and work satisfaction.

Main Methods:

• An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted using an online survey.
• The survey targeted all 416 PECPs in the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland.
• Data collected included demographics, types of violence sustained (verbal assault, intimidation, physical assault, sexual harassment, sexual assault), and consequences on behavior.

Main Results:

• A total of 273 PECPs (65.6% response rate) participated, with 83.9% reporting workplace violence in 2016.
• Patients and/or relatives were the perpetrators in 96% of cases; verbal assaults (99.2%) and physical assaults (69.6%) were most common.
• Following violent incidents, 50% of PECPs modified their behavior, with 82% wearing protective vests and 75% altering intervention strategies.

Conclusions:

• Workplace violence is highly prevalent among PECPs in Switzerland and has profound effects on their professional conduct and security.
• Increased protective measures (e.g., vests, self-defense tools) highlight PECPs' heightened feelings of insecurity.
• These security concerns may negatively impact job satisfaction and motivation within the prehospital emergency care sector.