Workplace Violence Against Nurses in Psychiatric Hospitals in Oman: A cross-sectional multi-centre study

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to assess workplace violence prevalence against nurses in Oman's psychiatric hospitals and explore associated factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was utilized and data was collected from all tertiary mental healthcare hospitals (Al Masarra Hospital and Sultan Qaboos University Hospital) between October and December 2021. Participants completed a sociodemographic survey and the Workplace Violence in the Health Sector questionnaire. Categorical variables were compared using the chi-square test (p < 0.05). 106 participants took part in the study (80% response rate). Most were female (52.8%) and Omani (72.6%), aged 30-39 years. Results: Workplace violence prevalence was high (90.6%), with verbal violence (86.8%) and physical violence (57.5%) being the most common types. Incidents were more frequent on weekdays (26.4%) and during morning shifts (34%), while 81.1% of nurses worked in shifts and had direct physical contact with patients (83.0%). The majority (92.5%) were aware of standardized workplace violence reporting procedures, and 89.7% confirmed their presence in hospitals. WPV was more prevalent among nurses in inpatient wards (P = 0.047). Conclusion: Workplace violence against nurses in Omani psychiatric hospitals is alarmingly high. Future research should investigate contributing factors among healthcare providers and emphasize violence prevention by providing staff nurses with effective training to handle violent incidents involving psychiatric patients.

Keywords: Workplace, Workplace Violence, Occupational stress, Working conditions, Nurses, Psychiatry, Oman.