Prevalence, Risk factors and Under Reporting of Violence against Health Care Workers in Emergency Department: Mixed Method Study رسالة دكتوراة

Abstract

Introduction Workplace violence against healthcare workers in emergency departments poses a severe threat to their safety and well-being and can lead to detrimental consequences for the victims. Aim of the study The aim of this research study is to investigate risk factors workplace, prevalence and under reporting of violence against health care workers in emergency departments in Clalit Hospital-Israel and the protective measures that can be applied to decrease the violence rate. Methods A cross-sectional design research utilized a mixed-methods research approach. This research study conducted in Meir, Bilinson, and Hasharo hospitals in Israel to identify contributing factors, assess conducive workplace and environmental conditions, explore protective strategies, and evaluate perceptions of risk factors. A convenience sample of 300 emergency department workers for the survey and 10 workers for the interviews. Results About 34.3% of participants experienced daily verbal altercations, and 71.3% reported experiencing physical violence in the emergency departments. The main reason for not reporting violence, according to 46.3% of participants, was the long time for reporting. The analysis found that 79.0% of participants considered a long waiting time as the most significant risk factor for Workplace violence. In the interviews, verbal and physical violence were the most common Workplace violence, the main risk factors of Workplace violence were prolonged wait times for treatment and communication XIII breakdown, and the protective strategies to prevent violence against healthcare professionals in the emergency departments included the activation of security staff, promoting the reporting of violent incidents, and offering training and support to employees. Conclusion The study indicated high prevalence of violence, with a substantial number of healthcare workers reporting frequent verbal altercations and physical violence, emphasizing that both verbal and physical violence are daily occurrences, often instigated by patients, family members, and friends. Also, the study highlighted the perception that violence reporting process is often time-consuming, serving as a significant barrier to timely reporting. Furthermore, the study illustrated strong legislative measures as the most highly valued protective strategy.