Factors influencing workplace violence among Chinese nurses: a multicenter cross-sectional study

Workplace violence against nurses and nursing students is a pervasive global issue. A comprehensive understanding of its influencing factors is imperative for developing effective prevention strategies. This study aimed to conduct a thorough examination of the incidence and contributing factors of WPV and its subtypes among nurses undergoing standardized training in Sichuan Province, China.

A large-scale, multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted using an anonymous online questionnaire. A cohort of nurses in standardized training from 90 hospitals across Sichuan Province was invited to participate. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression models.

The study included 7,231 nurses in standardized training, of whom 1,328 (18.37%) reported experiencing WPV. The prevalence of WPV subtypes was as follows: emotional abuse (15.72%), threats (7.01%), verbal assault (4.98%), physical assault (3.84%), and sexual assault (2.50%). Binary logistic regression analysis identified several protective factors against personally experienced WPV, including being female (OR = 0.690), living with parents (OR = 0.825), perceiving career prospects as better than the current level (OR = 0.714), higher job-related social support (OR = 0.846), greater psychological resilience (OR = 0.837), stronger professional identity (OR = 0.845), higher bullying scores (OR = 0.865), and witnessing verbal assault against colleagues (OR = 0.582). Conversely, risk factors for WPV included living in an urban area (OR = 1.185), holding religious beliefs (OR = 1.562), having experienced occupational exposure (OR = 1.386), caring for more than 12 patients during a day shift (OR = 1.359), personal experience with medical complaints (OR = 2.098), higher adaptive performance scores (OR = 1.141), and witnessing WPV against colleagues (OR = 38.490).

The prevalence of WPV against nurses in standardized training in China was lower than rates reported in other studies, yet the issue remains significant. Comprehensive strategies are needed to improve work environments and support the mental health of nurses, which may effectively reduce the incidence of WPV.