Evaluating an instrument to decrease horizontal violence in the nursing work environment
Joseph Dumayas and Susan Hopkinson
Womack Army Medical Center, USA
: J Nurs Patient Care
Abstract
Horizontal violence (HV) in nursing is a common occurrence. There is a gap in the evidence to support interventions effective in minimizing HV. This interventional study focused on the experience of HV for nursing staff at three military treatment facilities before and after an educational intervention. The survey was sent out to staff prior to and again 1-3 months, after the intervention. Nursing staff were asked if they observed disruptive behaviors such as shouting, negative discussions about personnel, inappropriate body language such as eye rolling, deliberate lack of communication, and unwillingness to help team members. They were also asked about personal affects of the behavior and individuals who may be involved in the HV behaviors. The intervention provided attendess awareness of horizontal violence behaviors and offered cognitive rehearsal as a tool to use to respond to HV. Descriptive statistics will be used to analyze the types of behaviors, personal effects, and perpetrators of HV. A pre and post comparison will be made for the respondents at each of the treatment facilities once the post survey closes on June 30, 2017. The pre-survey indicated that the nursing staff are witnessing or experiencing HV behaviors an average of once to twice in a 3 months period; and having personal effects from the HV behaviors once or twice in a 3 months period as well. The most commonly identified perpetrators were nurses and females. The final results availabe by September will add to the evidence regarding what may be effective for addressing HV.
Biography
Joseph Dumayas completed his Master of Science degree in Information Technology at University of Maryland in 2002 and Bachelor of Science in Biology in 1996 also at the same university. He has been a Research Coordinator for The Geneva Foundation since December 2014.
