Causes of workplace violence and preventive strategies in a tertiary care hospital in North India

Abstract

Introduction: Workplace violence is a significant global issue, particularly in high-risk environments such as emergency departments (EDs), impacting the quality of care provision and mental health status of the healthcare professionals. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of workplace violence and its impact on employees working in emergency departments.

Methods: 389 participants were enrolled consecutively after obtaining informed consent. A 'Workplace Violence in Healthcare Setting’ questionnaire was used to assess the prevalence of workplace violence. The Trauma Screening Questionnaire (TSQ) was used to evaluate an individual’s responses to traumatic events. 

Results: About half (46%) of participants were between 30-39 years old. Maximum (53.4) were nursing officers, 17% were sanitary attendants, 12% were hospital attendants, 8.70% were doctors, 7.7% and 1.02% were security guards and lab technicians respectively. The majority of the participants (92.5%) faced verbal violence, and 25.71% encountered physical violence. Reporting to the seniors was often avoided due to perceived inaction, time concerns, and fear of career repercussions. Participants recommended providing education to the public, and improvements in healthcare facilities and infrastructure. The majority of the participants felt unrealistic expectations of the patients, inappropriate knowledge about disease conditions, lack of resources, overcrowding, and long waiting times as the responsible factors for workplace violence.

Conclusion: Workplace violence in hospitals is linked to overcrowding, long waiting times, inadequate knowledge, and a lack of redressal systems. It may hamper care quality and staff morale. Preventive strategies include better resource management, communication skills, public education, infrastructure improvements, self-defense training, legislative measures, and effective complaint systems.