Verbal Abuse Among Nurses Working in a Nepalese Government Hospital

Abstract

Verbal abuse among nurses is the most prevailing type of violence encountered by nurses. A cross-sectional research design was used to identify the characteristics of verbal abuse among nurses. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by 201 nurses working in a government hospital of Nepal. Nurses were exposed to verbal abuse and yelling or raising voice in an angry fashion was the most common forms experienced by 96.5% of the respondents. Patient's relatives were reported as the main source of verbal abuse. Frequent exposure to verbal abuse was found in Nepalese nurses, which makes nurses feel unsupported, increased stress levels, and decreased sense of relaxation/well-being in the job. There is an immediate need of monitoring and training among nursing staff in recognition and management of aggressive behavior.