Citation

Lemelin L, Bonin JP, Duquette A. Can. J. Nurs. Res. 2009; 41(3): 152-167.

Affiliation

Department of Nursing, Universite du Quebec en Outaouais, Saint-Jerome, Quebec, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, McGill University School of Nursing, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

19831059

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence, origins, and forms of workplace violence reported by nurses working in acute-care settings in the Canadian province of Quebec. The Quebec health-care system is currently undergoing a shortage of qualified nurses that has resulted in an oppressive work environment marked by violence towards nurses.A descriptive study design was used with a sample of 181 nurses (out of a possible 300).The data, collected in 2003 using a French translation of the Workplace Violence Events Questionnaire, show that 86.5% of the nurses were victims of violent incidents on more than 1 occasion.The nature of the abuse was physical (10.6%), psychological (86.4%), or sexual (30.7%), inflicted by a colleague (65.9%), a superior (59.6%), or a physician (59.1%). Nurses should be made aware of the prevalence of workplace violence. Preventive measures are urgently needed for the well-being of the nursing profession.

Language: en