Workplace violence, work characteristics, and seniority levels among nurses: a cross-sectional study

Workplace violence (WPV) is a widespread phenomenon in healthcare systems and an increasingly severe occupational health and safety issue. This study aimed to analyze the prevalence of WPV among novice and senior nurses and to explore the associations between this factor and various types of workplace violence, workplace characteristics, and professional seniority levels while simultaneously identifying relevant risk factors.

The participants in this cross-sectional descriptive survey study were recruited via a convenience sampling approach between February and May 2021. The sample ultimately included 1000 full-time registered nurses who were recruited from a medical center in Taiwan. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect participants' experiences of workplace violence. A variety of data were collected, including demographic characteristics, work characteristics, WPV experiences, job control, workplace justice, and psychological job demands. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression were used in this research.

Nearly 50% of the nurses experienced at least one episode of workplace violence in the last 12 months. Among the types of workplace violence, verbal violence had the highest prevalence, followed by physical violence. High psychological job demands and low workplace justice were associated with workplace violence. After adjustment for demographic characteristics and psychosocial work conditions, novice nurses were more likely to experience workplace violence, particularly psychological violence, than senior nurses were.

Workplace violence is prevalent among Taiwanese nurses, in which context novice nurses are particularly vulnerable. Addressing high levels of psychological job demands and enhancing workplace justice can help mitigate workplace violence. Effective policies are needed to empower nurses and reduce violence.

Our findings highlight the persistence of workplace violence among nurses, indicating a need to promote healthier work environments. These results offer insights that nurse leaders and policymakers can use to improve workplace characteristics by promoting work autonomy, establishing a safe culture, and ensuring effective violence management, thereby potentially mitigating nurses' exposure to workplace violence and reducing their turnover intentions.