Workplace violence at emergency departments, Ain Shams University Hospitals, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

Background The present study aimed to determine the prevalence and forms of workplace violence (WPV) at the emergency departments (EDs) of Ain Shams University Hospitals (ASUH), Cairo and identify risk factors for WPV. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted at the EDs of ASUH comprising attending physicians and nurses using a self-administered structured questionnaire. Interviews were conducted with patients and relatives attending these departments to explore attitudes toward WPV against healthcare workers. Results The present study comprised 108 healthcare professionals working in EDs. Verbal violence was the most common type of WPV (86.1%), followed by sexual (48.1%) and physical violence (34.3%). Patient relatives were the most common perpetrator of all types of violence. A lack of facilities was the most common risk factor for violence (82.4%), followed by overcrowding (50.9%) and patient culture (47.2%). On the other hand, approximately 78% of interviewed patients and relatives agreed that the occurrence of violence at EDs was due to several triggering factors, including improper manner of communication by healthcare workers (63.2%), lack of facilities (32.4%), waiting time (22.1%), and unmet expectations (22.1%). Conclusion WPV represents a significant issue in EDs with violent behavior against healthcare workers widely accepted by attending patients.

Medicolegal analysis of physical violence toward physicians in Egypt

“…It was found that verbal violence was more prevailing in relation to physical violence in all studies. Regarding sexual violence, it was investigated by only five studies, other than the present study 9 , 21 , 28 , 33 , 34 . The percentages of medical staff who reported sexual harassment ranged from 1.7 to 48.1%.…”

“…It was noticed that the published studies investigated violence in healthcare sectors through perspectives of public health, emergency medicine, critical care, psychiatry, and nursing. Only three out of 25 studies were conducted by researchers affiliated with forensic medicine 25 , 28 , 30 ; these forensic articles were concerned with violence in the Egyptian healthcare sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.…”

“…Egyptian physicians provide healthcare services in a nation with more than 100 million population with a two percent annual growth rate 26 , 27 . Like other countries, Egyptian studies denoted high violence against healthcare providers 24 , 25 , 28 . Adoption of protective measures for healthcare providers should be based upon a comprehensive analysis of violent events in healthcare facilities.…”

Violence against nurses by patients and visitors in the emergency department: An integrative review

“…There is a pressing need to raise awareness and address these issues effectively. Violence in the ED was aggravated during times of crises, disasters or emergencies, which often caused overwhelming stress, panic attacks and fear among large numbers of people (Assil et al, 2022). Consequently, ED nurses directly involved in patient care became targets of frustration and fear from patients or their relatives (Kiymaz & Koc, 2023).…”

“…Some studies extend their focus beyond patients and visitors to include other sources, like colleagues or supervisors, diluting the specific examination of patient‐originated violence against ED nurses (Alsharari et al, 2022; Sachdeva et al, 2019). Furthermore, the inclusion of various healthcare professionals in the research often overshadows ED nurses' unique experiences (Assil et al, 2022; Boles et al, 2023; Brigo et al, 2022; Mento et al, 2020). Additionally, some studies primarily address reporting systems or intervention strategies rather than thoroughly exploring the nature, contributing factors and consequences of patient‐originated violence (Hamrick et al, 2023; Pogue et al, 2022).…”