Most healthcare workers in critical care settings experience on-the-job violence, with 25 percent saying they were willing to quit because of the issue, according to a global survey presented Jan. 21 at the Society of Critical Care Medicine's 2023 Critical Care Congress.
The Violence Study of Healthcare Workers and Systems survey, conducted last June and July, is based on nearly 600 responses from 69 countries, mostly from India and the United States. Respondents included nurses, attending physicians, physician residents, physician assistants, registered nurse practitioners and others in the departments of anesthesiology, critical care medicine and emergency medicine.
Overall, 73 percent of survey respondents said they have experienced violence in the past year. The most commonly reported violence was verbal abuse, such as threats (63 percent), and physical abuse, such as slapping or punching (39 percent). Patients and family members were the most common aggressors.
On-the-job violence led 48 percent of survey respondents to feel less motivated/experience a decrease in job satisfaction; an additional 25 percent reported they were willing to leave their roles.
To access the full survey findings, click here.