Title : Investigating the consequences of workplace violence among certified nurse assistants
Abstract:
Workplace violence (WPV) is one of the most prevalent issues in healthcare. Certified Nurse Assistants (CNAs) working in healthcare facilities oversee most of the direct patient care. Unqualified nurses are more likely to experience WPV, significantly affecting them physically, emotionally, and psychologically. Given their role, it is crucial to examine how WPV negatively impacts the overall well-being of CNAs. The present study investigated the role of workplace violence in adverse outcomes for Certified Nursing Assistants. Specifically, the research examined its association among six outcomes: (1) turnover intention, (2) burnout, (3) compassion fatigue, (4) secondary traumatic stress, (5) job satisfaction, and (6) work engagement. A cross-sectional approach was used. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the Professional Quality of Life Scale 5, the Compassion Fatigue-Short Scale, the Work Well-being Inventory, the Workplace Violence Scale, the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire III, and the Intention to Quit Scale. This study included 161 certified nurse assistants (Male = 59, Female = 102) currently working in a healthcare setting. Pearson bivariate correlations were conducted to assess the relationship between workplace violence and six adverse outcomes. The results indicated that workplace violence was significantly and positively correlated with turnover intention, burnout, compassion fatigue, and secondary traumatic stress. Conversely, workplace violence was significantly and negatively correlated with job satisfaction and work engagement. The findings underscore the urgent need for healthcare organizations to implement targeted interventions that prevent workplace violence and mitigate its harmful effects. Such strategies should focus on strengthening staff support systems, fostering a positive organizational culture, and promoting individual resilience to enhance employee well-being.
