Sexual Harassment Of Nurses Research Articles

Patients’ sexual harassment of nurses and nursing students: A cross-sectional study

BackgroundWorkplace sexual harassment towards nurses is a global phenomenon: approximately one quarter of all nurses are affected by sexual harassment. The extent and type of sexual harassment vary greatly depending on the country, culture, level of education, and care setting. Notably, patients are amongst the main perpetrators. Importantly, sexual harassment has serious consequences on nurses’ health and work performance. ObjectiveThis study examined the prevalence of patients’ workplace sexual harassment towards nurses and nursing students at a University of Applied Sciences in Switzerland. DesignA quantitative cross-sectional descriptive correlational design was used. SettingThe survey was conducted at the university's Institute of Nursing under the Department of Health. ParticipantsNurses and nursing students who were studying or attending a continuing education programme and had worked as a nurse with direct contact with patients in the last 12 months could qualify as participants. A final sample of 251 participants was used for the analysis. MethodsData were collected using the ‘Sexually Harassing Behaviour Questionnaire from an extraorganizational perspective’. Preliminary analysis involved computing the percentage and absolute frequencies, mean scores, standard deviations, and ranges. The hypotheses were tested using non-parametric tests, such as the Wilcoxon test for two independent samples, Spearman correlation test, and Kruskal-Wallis H test. Results were considered statistically significant at alpha < 0.05. ResultsMost participating nurses were women (88.5%) and worked in adult acute care (54.2%). The mean age was 25.5 (SD = 7.5) years. On average, they had worked in the nursing profession for 7 years. 17.1% of the participants had received training on sexual harassment. Overall, 95.6% of the participants reported experiencing sexual harassment of any type at least once in the last 12 months. The most common type of harassment was verbal sexual harassment. Notably, sexual harassment was statistically significantly more frequent the younger the nurses were [rs = -0.13, p = 0.046]. Furthermore, it was statistically significantly more prevalent in adult acute care than in paediatrics [H (10) = 18.4; p = 0.048; Cohen's d = 0.4]. ConclusionsPatients’ sexual harassment of participant nurses and nursing students is highly common. The high prevalence of sexual harassment and low number of nurses who have received training on sexual harassment demonstrate the need for initiatives to address this phenomenon in the basic education of nurses. Furthermore, evidence-based interventions against sexual harassment in the nursing profession are needed.

Sexual harassment of nurses by patients and missed nursing care-A hidden population study.

To raise awareness of a patient-related antecedent of missed nursing care. Missed nursing care is negatively associated with patient outcomes; accordingly, hospitals employ strategies to mitigate missed care. While antecedents of missed nursing care resulting from the work environment of nurses are recognized, sexual harassment by patients is not. This study is a hidden population study using respondent-driven sampling. We analysed data from thirty letters of frontline nurses from a tertiary Israeli hospital using the six steps of Aronson's thematic analysis. Six themes emerged. Nurses (a) felt objectified and that the sacred nurse-patient therapeutic space was desecrated; (b) felt a lack of support from ward managers; (c) felt unprotected, lonely, and alienated; (d) did not share the experience with managers; (e) coped with sexual harassment by ending treatment quickly and later realized they missed some tasks; and (f) considered leaving nursing. Policymakers are called upon to adopt the eight steps suggested for effectively coping with sexual harassment by patients and thus to reduce missed nursing care. Managers are called upon to modify their management style and to provide support to nurses who experience sexual harassment in order to alleviate their stress, which is an also antecedent of missed nursing care.

노인요양병원 간호사의 성희롱 경험 실태

This study is a descriptive research to investigate the actual conditions under which nurses working in long-term care hospitals are sexually harassed and situations in which sexual harassment occurs and to determine victims` coping methods after being sexually harassed. The period of data collection was from May 13, 2013 to June 14 and the research subjects were 113 nurses working in 10 long-term care hospitals in Busan assigned by convenience sampling. The results showed that sexual harassment of nurses mostly occurred as follows: visual harassment, which involved the perpetrators looking inappropriately at nurses; physical harassment, which involved intentional touching or leaning into the body; and verbal harassment, which involved making sexual jokes and remarks. The development of a prevention program for sexual harassment targeting patients and nurses in long-term care hospitals should be required to enable victims to perceive and efficiently cope with sexual harassment.

“Paradoxing the Dialectic”

Using the concepts of paradox and dialectics, this qualitative study examines the tension that contradictions bring to nurses’ narrative construction of their roles as caregivers. The nurses in the study reveal that they negotiate their roles as caregivers within the dialectical poles of closeness and distance in relation to their patients. The sexual harassment of nurses by their patients, however, serves to destroy this ability to move between these poles and instead calls for a single response—distance. This “paradoxing of the dialectic” changes the ability to negotiate between closeness and distance and presents nurses with a paradoxical set of decisions on how to cope with such harassment and maintain their role as caregivers. Implications for theory are discussed.

Sexual harassment of nurses in the workplace.

Nurses who are sexually harassed at work face frustration and emotional and economic consequences. Historically before the 1970s, nurses had little legal recourse and tolerated sexual harassment as a necessary "evil" associated with working. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 created the option for legal remedies for sexual harassment/discrimination cases. Successful court cases established the legal criteria for sexual harassment. This article discusses the history, definition, high profile cases, research, consequences, and prevention of sexual harassment. Although research is scant and little is known of how nurses respond to harassing behavior, prevention requires coordinated activities of employers, individual employees, and the healthcare profession. Sexual harassment at work increases anxiety and undermines the nurse's ability to focus on the delivery of safe and competent care.

Sexual harassment in nursing.

Sexual harassment is a problem faced by women in the workplace which can lead to adverse psychological consequences as well as impaired work performance. Sexual harassment is about the abuse of power and status rather then merely being about sex per se and has to be viewed in the context of institutionalized male power. Although there is a relative dearth of research, there is increasing evidence that sexual harassment of nurses is common and that it can have adverse effects on nurses physical and psychological health as well as a direct impact on patient care. Nursing, by its very nature of having to care for patients bodily needs, transgresses normal social rules regarding bodily contact. This is exploited by the perpetrator who relies on nurses' caring attitude to be able to harass. A descriptive model of the processes involved in harassment is presented which offers the possibility of being able to intervene at a number of points in the process. Interventions need to be aimed at both individual and organizational levels if there is to be a prospect of reducing a major occupational stressor for nurses.

Sexual Harassment of Female Nurses in a Hospital in Turkey

Sexual harassment has been identified as a universal factor that can affect nursing performance and work productivity in any type of health care facility. Few studies in the area of sexual harassment have been conducted in developing countries, and this is the first study of its type to be conducted in the country of Turkey. The general purpose of this study is to examine whether the problem of sexual harassment truly is "universal' and to begin to address whether it exists among female nurses in Turkey. Translated surveys were distributed to selected nurses in Ankara, Turkey, asking about their experiences of sexual harassment during their nursing practice. With a response rate of 58% (n = 229), 75% of the respondents reported having been sexually harassed during their nursing practice. The most commonly reported forms of sexual harassment included sexual testing, jokes, remarks or questions and pressure for dates. Harassment by physicians (44%), by patients (34%), by relatives of patients (14%) and others (9%) were noted. Further, a significant relationship was found between sexual harassment of nurses who work in inpatient or outpatient clinics. In general, these findings suggest that sexual harassment of female nurses remains a disturbing problem in this developing country. Based on the findings, implications for policy and further study are suggested.

Sexual Harassment of Female Registered Nurses in Hospitals

Sexual harassment of nurses seriously affects nursing performance and productivity. In this survey, sexual harassment by male patients and coworkers was reported by greater than 70% of the female staff nurses surveyed. The most common manifestations of harassment were sexual remarks; however, behaviors involving touch were frequent. Nurses noted that they often confronted patients when these behaviors occurred, but were less likely to confront male co-workers. Findings suggest that nursing managers and executives must discover and eliminate sexual harassment in hospital work settings and create work cultures that discourage manifestation of sexually harassing behaviors.

Sexual harassment of nurses: an occupational hazard?

A questionnaire was administered to qualified and student nurses to assess the prevalence and consequences of sexual harassment. There was a 56% completion rate. Of these 43 (66%) of the registered nurses and nine (35%) of the student nurses reported having experienced sexual harassment. The incidence of harassment for registered nurses in the year prior to the study was 46%. Patients were most likely to be the harasser for both student and registered nurses but there was an increased likelihood that other staff were involved in the harassment of registered nurses with doctors and male nursing staff being the predominant perpetrators. Dimensions of assertiveness and sex role identity did not predict the likelihood of harassment. Results are discussed in the context of attribution theory and gender power relationships.

Scanty nurses: vests stop sex pests.

Before complaining about the sexual harassment of nurses, which has recently been highlighted in the media, we should ensure that our actions do not send out signals that encourage such behaviour.

Suggestions for management of sexual harassment of nurses.

Suggestions for management of sexual harassment of nurses.