Nurses’ Experiences of Violence at the Workplace

Much has been said and written about the experiences of nurses in relation to violence at the workplace. The issue of violence in nursing is important because of its potential to undermine the quality of healthcare services and hamper positive patient outcomes. Current scholarly literature interrogates experiences of violence at the workplace meted out against nurses by either patients, colleagues, or other individuals within the healthcare setting. However, regardless of the extensive scholarly focus on this matter, the incidences and prevalence of this scourge continue to surge. It is possible that the endemic nature of this problem is caused by the lack of evidence-based interventions. This gap, therefore, makes the study of the experiences of workplace violence for nurses with a view to identifying an evidence-based intervention imperative. In that regard, a study to explore the occurrences of violence against nurses by patients, colleagues, or any other people within the healthcare setting is proposed to broaden the scope and perspectives underlying current literature on nursing and violence.

Violence in nursing is a systemic problem. Abbas, Fiala, Abdel Rahman, and Fahim [5] confirmed the extensive nature of the problem in a study almost ten years back that found a considerable portion of nurses in were verbally and physically abused by patients and their relatives, with males being more exposed to violence compared to women. This study revealed that workplace violence against nurses is a big problem and encouraged the need for further studies on the problem. This article sets the background on nurses’ experiences of violence at work.

In a comparison of violent incidents against emergency nurses and their non-emergency counterparts, Abou-ElWafa, El-Gilany, Abd-El-Raouf, Abd-Elmouty, and El-Sayed Hassan El-Sayed [9] assert that violence against nurses is common but neglected. This statement raises the question whether violence by nurses is also neglected in the same way. These researchers found that emergency nurses experience higher levels of violence with triggering factors including young age, work shift, and emergency specialty.

Nursing essay on Cost-Effective Care

When one hears of a patient being over-treated or undertreated, one thing that comes to mind is the new technology that is being used in healthcare. There have been mixed reactions to the technology being used in healthcare services in the United States. Some say that it saves lives, while others think it is too expensive. The following nursing essay explains the merits and demerits of cost-effective care about an acute illness that my father had, heart attack.

In an article that Jeanne Lenzer wrote in 2012, she explains hoe and intern watched as nursing professionals tried to resuscitate a patient who was almost 90 years old and was in the end-stage of congestive heart failure. The doctors worked for about one hour with equipment like pressor being injected into his heart, but the old man died (Lenzer, 2012). Although doctors have always insisted on doing everything they can to save lives, it sometimes becomes too painful for the patient as some of these procedures are done while the mind is still awake. My father had a heart attack, and when he got into the emergency room, they used the same procedures because his case was severe. I believe he was under a lot of pain during this period.

However, such nursing procedures have been known to save multiple lives not only in the United States but also the rest of the world. Overtreatment may be painful and expensive, but the result is sometimes worth it. My father was able to recover from the illness, and although he cannot perform stressful tasks like lifting heavy stuff, he sure is happy that he is still alive. In fact, the whole family is grateful to the hospital staff for saving his life. That is why one day, I would love to work as professional nurse.