Violence against healthcare workers br Hungarian experiences

Abstract

Introduction: Violence against healthcare workers damages not only the health and dignity of employees but also the safety and productivity of institutions. Violence in healthcare also poses a threat to patient safety and the quality of patient care. Objective: The aim of the research is to get an idea of whether healthcare workers in Hungarian healthcare institu-tions, if they get involved in violent conflict, have someone to turn to at their workplace. It aims to explore whether communication, simulation and self-defense trainings are held in institutions, and to examine the relationship be-tween these prevention and treatment trainings with confidence. Method: Cross-sectional quantitative research has been conducted with an online questionnaire involving 720 health professionals. Results: It can be stated that when an atrocity hits a healthcare worker, he or she turns to his or her colleague during the violence and, after atrocity, asks the head nurse or a psychologist for help in processing the problem. 52% of verbal violence and 45% of physical violence were not reported by employees. A very high percentage (39%) of work-ers do not even know who to turn to if they are subjected to violent atrocity. The data show that communication training alone is not enough to make healthcare workers confident. However, participation in this training does not significantly reduce the average number of atrocities experienced in a year. Conclusion: The results obtained may also signal the need for communication training, but it is not enough in itself, it should be followed by simulation practice as well as self-defense education and practice. Participating in other communication or violence prevention training increases the confidence of healthcare workers, but communication training alone does not. There is no reporting obligation in the institutions so a lot of atrocities remain hidden.