Effects of vertical violence on the work of nurses in hospital settings: An exploratory study

Introduction: More than 39.7% of nurses report being victims of psychological harassment in the workplace. In 60% of cases, the abuse is vertical, involving a person in a position of authority.

Context: Few studies have examined this phenomenon without conflating it with other forms of workplace violence.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to shed light on cases of vertical violence experienced by nurses working in hospitals.

Method: Data was collected by means of semi-structured interviews with six nurses working in hospitals in the province of Quebec (Canada). Descriptive phenomenology was used to analyze the collected data.

Results: The overall effects of the vertical violence experienced by nurses in hospital settings resulted in less diligent and individualized nursing care.

Discussion: It is recommended that organizational policies against vertical violence put in place in hospital be enforced in a rigorous and transparent manner. Further investigation is needed to identify the organizational factors that contribute to vertical violence in hospital settings.