What are your first thoughts when you hear “nurse”? Many may have thoughts of compassion, caregiving or even heroism. Some might only see them as people who are about to give them a shot they have been dreading, come November’s flu season. Nurses have been described as being the core of healthcare. While I think every member of the healthcare team is needed, registered nurses, certified nursing assistants and nurse practitioners spend the most time caring for patients one-on-one. This ultimately exposes them to higher risk of physical and sexual violence, harassment and verbal abuse.
From my experience as a nursing student at Goshen College, I would say most patients that I have cared for are cooperative and are not aggressive. However, in other departments, such as emergency, psychiatric units and long-term care facilities, workplace violence is a common reality. Workplace violence within healthcare settings is often overlooked and undermined. Workplace violence is a reflection that caregiving professions are undervalued. Society often sees the role of the nurse to be compassionate, patient and expected to handle emotional labor, but fails to recognize the extensive training and expertise going into the profession.There is a disconnection between the reality of the career of nurses and the perception. You may be thinking, “Why is that?” During my clinical experiences, I have noticed that it is deeply ingrained in the culture of health care; that workplace violence is just “part of the job” for these workers. Many workers often don’t report incidents because of the complexity involved in filing reports or because they believe that no actions will be taken.
Some argue that workplace violence in healthcare is unavoidable due to the nature of patients who are ill, in pain and in emotional distress, such as in emergency or psychiatric settings where patients may not be in control of their actions.
This is taking into consideration that when people are admitted to a hospital, they are the worst versions of themselves. However, while this is true to an extent, there is not an explanation as to why workplace violence is tolerated toward nurses. Nurses are disproportionately expected to tolerate violence, making it seem as if the issue is not environmental but how the profession is perceived.
So, why is this important? At the end of the day, the priority is patient safety and a large determination of that is the quality of care that is given. Workplace violence places a barrier to that quality of care. With this all being said, nurses specifically are expected to use de-escalation techniques and safety training to handle these conflicts. The U.S. Department of Education has made a proposal that excludes nursing and other advanced nursing practices from the list of professional degrees. While the profession is seen as professional, the degree is not acknowledged as such. When others begin to consider nursing degrees as not “professional,” these workers could be treated with less respect and authority. Respect and safety are connected in healthcare professions.
Society perceives professionals to have higher authority and boundaries for acceptable behaviors. Removing nursing as a professional degree has blurred boundaries, making patients and families feel more comfortable to cross them and for workplace violence to be dismissed.
The normalization of workplace violence in healthcare is not as simple as a failure of the hospital policies and training systems, but is rooted in cultural contradictions. This normalization reinforces that this behavior is acceptable. Healthcare professionals require advanced education and clinical expertise yet continue to be seen as subservient and caregiving. The mismatch between reality and perception contributes to the tolerance of violence within these professions.
Although it’s a TV show, “The Pitt” realistically illustrates how workplace violence in healthcare settings is often portrayed as routine and “part of the job” for nurses. It’s nothing like any other medical TV shows, such as “Grey’s Anatomy.”
As I continue my journey in nursing, I understand that the challenges of this profession go far beyond clinical skills, and that workplace violence is an unfortunate reality for nurses and other healthcare professionals. I believe that, until nursing is fully recognized as a professional degree, the profession will be less respected. With the educational and emotional demand it takes to be a nurse, nurses deserve better. Until there is a change, the expectation to tolerate violence will likely remain. Change doesn’t begin with policies but with how society views and respects nurses.
T Rodriguez is a senior nursing major from Kalamazoo, Michigan. He is a thrower on Goshen College’s track and field team and enjoys juggling in his free time.
