Preparing New Clinicians to Identify, Understand, and Address Inappropriate Patient Sexual Behavior in the Clinical Environment

Approaches for Residents to Address Problematic Patient Behavior: Before, During, and After the Clinical Encounter

“…Studies from other health disciplines suggest that training on how to respond to inappropriate patient behavior reduces its negative impact. 6 Protecting our residents from the harm caused by inappropriate behavior is vital to ensuring the health of the workforce and, ultimately, our patients.…”

https://researchopenworld.com/building-resilience-health-and-wellness-for-undergraduate-nursing-students-beyond-title-ix-and-early-alert-programs/#

“…IPSB encompasses a spectrum of behaviors including: gesturing, giving romantic gifts, making suggestive remarks, propositioning, exposing genitalia, unnecessary touching, with some of the more extreme cases resulting in sexual assault and rape. [8] It is imperative to note that when a patient's behavior creates a hostile or intimidating work environment for any health care worker, as in its extreme manifestations, IPSB falls under the legal classification of sexual harassment, a form of sex discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 [9].…”

“…Sexual harassment by patients is a significant problem for general healthcare professionals; however, nurses consistently report sexual harassment by their patients more than any other healthcare sector. [8] This is particularly poignant given that we are in the midst of several international campaigns increasing the awareness of sexual assault and harassment. Additionally, the Joint Commission has issued a Sentinel Event Alert on physical and verbal violence against healthcare workers, including sexual harassment, which calls to enforce workplace policies that keep nurses and other healthcare workers safe [12].…”

https://researchopenworld.com/inappropriate-patient-sexual-behavior-in-nursing-education/#

“…[1] IPSB encompasses a spectrum of behaviors including: gesturing, giving romantic gifts, making suggestive remarks, propositioning, exposing genitalia, unnecessary touching, with some of the more extreme cases resulting in sexual assault and rape. [2]. It is imperative to note that when a patient's behavior creates a hostile or intimidating work environment for any health care worker, as in its extreme manifestations, IPSB falls under the legal classification of sexual harassment, a form of sex discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 [3].…”

“…When IPSB is recognized as sexual harassment, it can imply patients as adversaries creating a difficult care environment. Sexual harassment by patients is a significant problem for general healthcare professionals; however, nurses consistently report sexual harassment by their patients more than any other healthcare sector [2]. This is particularly poignant given that nursing is predominantly female and that we are in the midst of several international campaigns increasing the awareness of sexual assault and harassment.…”