Emergency nurses' perspective of workplace violence in Jordanian hospitals: A national survey

Background: Emergency departments are considered high-risk areas, where violence against nurses is a serious and prevalent problem. Such violence has negative effects on nurses, and therefore on the quality of care provided.

Aims of the study: To explore the risk factors behind violence, and to specify reasons for the level of low reporting of violence among Jordanian nurses in emergency departments.

Method: A cross-sectional design through conducting a survey in emergency departments in Jordanian hospitals.

Results: The total number of emergency department nurses who participated in the study was 227. Of these, 172 (75%) had experienced some form of violence. Verbal violence was the most reported (63.9%), compared to physical violence (48%). The most reported reasons for violence from the nurses' perspective were waiting time, overcrowding, and patient and family expectations not being met, with frequencies of 54.3%, 53.3%, and 46% respectively. The treatment room was the most common place where the violence occurred. Only 16.6% of the nurses who experienced violence actually reported it. Being accustomed to workplace violence is the most stated reason for not reporting violence to the hospital administration or the authorities.

Conclusion: Violence against emergency department nurses is a significant issue that cannot be ignored. There are multiple reasons. The key point in dealing with the problem is to treat its specific causes.