Prevalence of workplace violence against nurses in Saudi Arabia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Workplace violence is a serious issue in healthcare settings. Nurses are particularly vulnerable, and such violence significantly impacts their professional lives, leading to decreased productivity and care quality. We aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence of workplace violence against nurses through systematic review and meta-analysis in Saudi Arabia.

Databases were searched for articles published in English from 2013 to 2023, including PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, Medline, Emerald, Wiley, and ProQuest. The quality of the included studies was rigorously assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools. Meta-analysis was conducted using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software. Subgroup analysis, meta-regression, and publication bias tests were performed.

The pooled prevalence of workplace violence among nurses in Saudi Arabia was 61.8 % (95 %CI: 45.8 %-75.6 %). Subgroup analysis showed the highest prevalence of workplace violence in studies conducted before 2020 at 69.7 % (95 %CI: 42.0 %-88.0 %) and 2020-2023 at 57.0% (95 %CI: 35.6 %-76.1 %); in the western region at 90.2 % (95 %CI: 70.2 %-97.3 %); among female nurses at 81.8 % (95 %CI: 66.9 %-90.9 %); with patient relatives as perpetrators at 70.8 % (95 %CI: 46.4 %-87.2 %); during afternoon shifts at 78.5 % (95 %CI: 64.4 %-88.1 %); for verbal abuse at 54.9 % (95 %CI: 31.3 %-76.6 %); and in the intensive care unit at 68.1 % (95 %CI: 28.1 %-92.1 %). Meta-regression analysis revealed that the night shift significantly contributed to heterogeneity. The funnel plot and Egger's regression test (P = 0.647) indicated no significant publication bias.

This meta-analysis showed the estimate of workplace violence against nurses in Saudi Arabia is 61.8 %. Nursing managers and health policymakers should implement targeted interventions to prevent workplace violence, especially among female nurses, during afternoon shifts, in intensive care units, and in the western region of Saudi Arabia.