NURSES’ PERCEIVED IMPACTS OF LATERAL VIOLENCE ON SURGICAL OUTCOME IN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HOSPITAL, IBADAN.
Background: Lateral violence in the workplace is an ever-increasing concern for workers. Although lateral violence is reported in many professional fields, researchers report high instances in the health care arena, specifically among nurses, who are regarded as an oppressed group. The aim of this study was to assess nurses’ perceptions of the impacts of lateral violence on surgical outcomes at the University College Hospital, Ibadan.
Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted among nurses in operating theatres and surgical units at University College Hospital. A convenient sampling technique was used to select 98 out of 115 preoperative nurses who participated in the study. A self- administered questionnaire was used to collect data over seven days. The collected data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. Descriptive statistics were presented in tables and figures, while Chi-square (ᵡ2) was used to test the association between the study variables.
Findings: The findings showed that the majority (90%) are female, with 38.8% having spent 6–10 years in surgical settings. The majority 86 (87.8%) of the respondents have good knowledge about lateral violence, while 90 (91.9%) perceived a high prevalence of lateral violence among nurses. Respondents also reported that the impact of lateral violence has been associated with costly medical errors, financial losses, patient injuries, increased staff turnover, and teamwork interruptions. Changes in the workplace, climate and stress levels, generational differences or personalities, and resistance to change were among the factors identified that contribute to lateral violence. Respondents’ perception of the prevalence of lateral violence was associated with their level of knowledge about it.
Conclusion: Despite the high knowledge of the impact of lateral violence, it is still underreported. Therefore, there is a need to provide conflict management training and education on how to solve workplace violence. Also, there should be clear policy guidelines on disrespectful or unethical behavior in the workplace.