Work ability, violence and intentions to leave among nursing workers

Author(s)

Maiara Bordignon

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Campinas, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Faculdade de Enfermagem
• Defense date: 2018-07-24

Examining board members

Maria Inês Monteiro; Maria Lucia do Carmo Cruz Robazzi; Marta Regina Cezar Vaz; Heleno Rodrigues Corrêa Filho; Pedro Fredemir Palha

• Advisor: Maria Inês Monteiro

Abstract

The knowledge on nursing practitioner workers’ and their professional team skills make their presence remarkably indispensable in health institutions. However, the literature highlights that recruiting and retaining such workers is currently a challenge for many nations. In this context, workplace violence and work ability are investigated, especially abroad. The general aim was to analyze workplace violence and its implications on the work ability among nursing workers. The specific aims were: (i) to characterize the sample studied, according to the profile and work aspects; (ii) to evaluate the occurrence of workplace violence, the work ability and aspects around the intentions of abandonment among nursing workers; (iii) to identify potential associations of workplace violence with work ability; (iv) to verify potential associations of workplace violence and work ability with the intention of the worker to leave the institution he maintains a formal bond of work, unit and profession; and (v) to carry out a integrative literature review focusing on the violence management in nursing work to support institutions in the implementation of measures against this phenomenon. The cross-sectional study was developed with 267 nursing workers from seven emergency units, three institutions and two states of the Brazil. The workers answered questionnaires and the data were analyzed from the descriptive statistics, statistical tests, generalized linear and Poisson regression models and schematic models. Most participants were nursing technicians/assistants (73%), women (79.8%) and 30–39 year old (38.9%, 21–68). More than half of the participants (61.6%) suffered workplace violence (verbal abuse, sexual harassment and/or physical violence) in the last 12 months and 73.6% witnessed it at least once. Of the workers, 46.8% had good work ability. The intention to leave the unit and profession was 2.9 and 2.2, respectively on average, as well as 80.2% had low intention to leave the institution. Those who suffered workplace violence were less likely to have good or optimal work ability and more likely to have greater intention to leave the unit and institution than those who did not suffer. Those who suffered two or more types of workplace violence were more likely to have more intention to leave the profession than those who did not. Increased work ability has reduced the likelihood of greater intention to leave the unit and the profession. We concluded from simple tests and regression models that workplace violence can impair work ability, and both can lead to the intention to leave the unit, institution and profession. Finally, considering the results of the study with workers, an integrative literature review was developed in the databases CINAHL, MEDLINE and Proquest Central to evaluate the applicability of the simulation as strategy to support nursing students and workers to cope with workplace violence. The review indicated that the simulation may be useful for intervention against violence, but evidence still needs to be built (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/06128-7 - Work ability, violence and intentions to leave among nursing workers
• Grantee: Maiara Bordignon
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)