THE EXPERIENCE OF VIOLENCE AMONGST NEONATAL NURSES

Abstract

Violence in healthcare is a global concern for all health care professionals with nurses being recognized as most likely to be a target. Much of the research conducted on the experience of violence in nursing pertains to nurses working in emergency or psychiatric departments and long-term care. There is a paucity of research exploring the experience of violence among nurses in other care areas. This study intended to explore the experience of violence amongst neonatal nurses. A qualitative description methodology was used to begin to understand the complexities of violence toward neonatal nurses. Participants articulated experiencing both HV and VV and provided valuable insight into the personal impacts of such violence. Findings from this study provide important qualitative information that could be used to understand, mitigate, and address violence in the NICU. Further studies exploring the experiences of neonatal nurses would be beneficial to gain further understanding of the prevalence of violence, the influence of unit design, and the role of managers and healthcare leaders in violence prevention and response.