Workplace violence directed at nursing and medical students - What can students tell us about it?

Background: Workplace violence (WPV) directed at healthcare teams is a widespread growing phenomenon that affects students as well. The negative consequences of WPV may impede patient care and future retention rates.

Purpose: To explore (a) the incidence and type of WPV experienced by nursing and medical students during their clinical rotations; (b) the associations between the emotional consequences of WPV events for students and their perceived professional performance; (c) students' preparedness and current training on WPV.

Method: One hundred and fifty-one Israeli nursing and medical students completed an online questionnaire that included closed and open-ended questions. Quantitative data and qualitative data were analyzed separately, before their integration.

Results: More than half the students reported having experienced verbal violence during their clinical rotations. Experiencing WPV caused some students (14.6%) to consider leaving the profession and about one third (27.8%) reported that it had affected patients' care. The vast majority of students did not report experiencing incidents of physical violence.

Conclusions: There is an essential need to promote and implement multidisciplinary programs aimed at eliminating WPV, beginning at the students' level. Students need preparation and practical tools for coping with WPV. At the same time, health organizations must act to examine how cases of WPV against students are handled.