Date of Conferral

2018

Degree

Doctor of Healthcare Administration, DHA

School

Health Services

Advisor

Suzanne Richins

Abstract

Workplace violence (WPV) is ranked as one of the leading causes of occupational injury in the United States and is common in health settings. Nurses have the highest rate of violent victimization reported in the U.S., thus presenting a significant issue for healthcare leaders. Various researchers focus on prevalence rates of WPV among nurses discussing types of violence, location, and the setting where the WPV occurred. Less information exists regarding time taken off work and factors associated with WPV among nurses versus nursing assistants (NAs). This information is important due to the impact on safe work environments for nursing employees. The research questions for the study examined the prevalence of WPV and time taken off work among nurses compared to NAs. The study employed a retrospective secondary analysis of data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, from 2011 to 2014, of nurses and NAs in the State of Texas. Multivariate analysis, partial correlation statistical test, and partition of the sum of squares (ANOVA) determined that NAs experienced more incidents of WPV and spent more time away from work due to injuries than nurses. The study was limited because the data did not provide clear indications of environmental factors that led to the injuries, nor did data related to the culture of the working environments and injuries exist. A recommendation for future research is evaluation of the impact of WPV on productivity, patient safety, and quality of care when nurses continue to work or return to work after experiencing WPV. Results of the study reveal the differences in injuries between the two groups and factors impacting the injuries. This information is important for social change as healthcare leaders evaluate opportunities to create a safe working environment for their staff and provide additional resources for nurses to prevent WPV incidents.

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