A Case Study on Violence against Nurses in Nigeria and Recommendations in Reducing the Violence

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DOI: 10.21522/TIJNR.2015.02.01.Art016

Authors : Udogwu, Felix

Abstract:

Violence against nurses is a complex and persistent occupational hazard facing the nursing profession. The job sector with the mission to care for people appears to be at the highest risk of workplace violence. Nurses are among the most assaulted workers in the Nigeria workforce. Too frequently, nurses are exposed to violence – primarily from patients, patients’ families, visitors and other health care workers. This violence can take the form of intimidation, harassment, stalking, beatings, stabbings, shootings, and other forms of assault. Violence, aggression, and harassment exist in virtually all workplace and this not only affect the individual’s health and morale, it negatively affects productivity due to reduced morale and motivation (Azodo et al., 2011, Vittorio, 2003). It has been shown that workplace violence affects every professional group in every country and sometimes to an ‘epidemic’ extent(Gates 2004; Mohamad and Motasem 2012). In the health care sector, all categories of healthcare workers are at risk of violence though at different degrees with the nurses having up to three times higher than others (Abbas et al., 2010; Azodo The purpose of this project work is to point out some of the violence melted against nurses and to conduct a review and assessment of the problem of violence against nurses. Analysis presented within this research work is based on complains and write up in various State in Nigeria Hospitals and clinic. Finally, recommendations integrating the analysis and literature review. The recommendations contained herein address regulatory issues, educational programs, nursing practice interventions, and data collection and dissemination issues as they relate to the problem of violence against nurses.

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Website www.nursingworldnigeria.com