In light of growing pressures on the nursing profession, including staff shortages, more needs to be done to combat workplace violence, say Flinders University researchers.
Two recent studies led by Caring Futures Institute researcher Dr Hila Dafny have highlighted increasing incidences of violence that are leading to long term consequences for students, their supervisors, and the profession.
“Workplace violence, which can include verbal abuse, physical aggression, and intimidation from patients and other staff, is a growing concern in healthcare, with nursing students particularly vulnerable,” says Dr Dafny, a researcher and clinical educator.
“Our findings, drawn from interviews with clinical facilitators in South Australia – those that train and supervise nursing students – reveals witnessing or experiencing this violence has an ongoing impact on nursing students’ mental health, career prospects, and overall well-being.
“It also impacts the supervisors themselves, with some questioning their own career choices as they feel powerless to stop it.”
Published in the Journal of Professional Nursing and Nursing Open, the two studies interviewed clinical facilitators about their experiences and that of the students they supervised.
The studies found workplace violence was leaving both students and their supervisors questioning their career choices.
“The psychological toll on students is significant, with many reporting symptoms of anxiety, distress, and burnout following WPV incidents, with some cases escalating to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),” says Dr Dafny.
“On the other hand, clinical facilitators, who are responsible for supervising and supporting students during placements, reported feeling they were powerless to help.
“Despite being the first point of contact for students after WPV incidents, many facilitators feel disempowered to take effective action, with their limited authority and inconsistent role definitions often leaving them unable to protect students or address systemic issues effectively.”
The authors call for systemic change and a need for a collaborative approach between universities and healthcare institutions to combat workplace violence.
“We need to shift the framing that workplace violence is an inevitability of working in the health profession,” says Dr Dafny.
“It’s time to prioritize the safety and mental health of nursing students and their facilitators. This includes clear anti-violence policies, comprehensive training, and a cultural shift that no longer normalises violence in the workplace.
“Enhanced training programs are needed to prepare both students and facilitators to recognize, report, and address the incidents effectively, while universities and clinical institutions must work together to establish robust support systems, including counselling services and accessible reporting mechanisms.”
Paper 1 – The effects of workplace violence on nursing students from the perspectives of clinical facilitators or preceptors by Hila Ariela Dafny, Nicole Snaith, Paul Cooper, Nasreena Waheed, Christine McCloud, Stephanie Champion – is published in the Journal of Professional Nursing. DOI: 10.1016/j.profnurs.2024.12.006
Paper 2 – ‘I Feel Disempowered Because I Could Not Do Anything’: Clinical Facilitators’ Perception of Violence Towards Nursing Students During Clinical Placement by Hila Ariela Dafny, Paul Cooper, Nasreena Waheed, Stephanie Champion, Christine Mccloud, Nicole Snaith, Leeanne Pront – is published in the journal Nursing Open. DOI: 10.1002/nop2.70125